AIF-C01 Overview — Format, Domains & Who Should Take It

What to expect on AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01): exam format and timing, domain coverage and weights, question styles, recommended background, and a practical way to study.

Exam at a glance

  • Exam name: AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01)
  • Level: Foundational
  • Questions: 65 total (multiple-choice and multiple-response)
  • Time: 90 minutes
  • Delivery: Pearson VUE testing center or online proctored exam
  • Result: Scaled score (100–1000); minimum passing score: 700
  • Cost: 100 USD
  • Languages offered: Arabic, English, French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Latin America), Spanish (Spain), Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese

Tip: AIF-C01 rewards clear definitions, best-fit service choices, and a solid grasp of generative AI risks (hallucinations, privacy, prompt injection, responsible use).


Domain breakdown (weights)

  • Domain 1: Fundamentals of AI and ML — 20%
  • Domain 2: Fundamentals of Generative AI — 24%
  • Domain 3: Applications of Foundation Models — 28%
  • Domain 4: Guidelines for Responsible AI — 14%
  • Domain 5: Security, Compliance, and Governance for AI Solutions — 14%

What the exam emphasizes (high level)

Expect scenario-driven items where you choose the best answer for:

  • AI vs ML vs generative AI fundamentals (core terminology and lifecycle)
  • Where generative AI fits (and where it doesn’t), including limitations and cost/latency trade-offs
  • Foundation model application patterns (RAG, prompt engineering, evaluation)
  • Responsible AI expectations (fairness, transparency, safety, human oversight)
  • Security and governance for AI solutions (privacy, access controls, auditability)

Who should take AIF-C01

This exam is a strong fit for:

  • Cloud practitioners and technologists who want to add AI and generative AI literacy to their AWS foundation
  • Developers, analysts, and technical PMs who need to select the right AWS AI services and understand the risks
  • Anyone preparing for more role-based AWS AI/ML credentials later

Recommended background: CLF-level AWS familiarity (core services and IAM basics) plus basic comfort with data/analytics concepts.


Study plan (efficient)

  1. Pick a timeline: 30/60/90-day Study Plan →
  2. Work the Syllabus domain-by-domain; drill after each task.
  3. Keep a miss log: convert misses into one-liner rules (“RAG for fresh proprietary knowledge”, “Guardrails for policy compliance”).
  4. Final week: mixed sets + a few timed runs; review every miss.

Start with the Syllabus if you want a structured, objective-by-objective path.