ML platform (SageMaker AI ↔ Azure ML)
SageMaker Autopilot / Amazon SageMaker Canvas vs Azure ML automated ML (AutoML)
SageMaker Autopilot (now surfaced in SageMaker Canvas) maps to Azure Machine Learning automated ML.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | SageMaker Autopilot Amazon SageMaker Canvas | Azure ML automated ML (AutoML) |
| Lifecycle | The Autopilot UI moved into SageMaker Canvas (from Nov 30, 2023). The APIs remain. Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | AutoML. Data preprocessing, algorithm selection, tuning, and deployment. No-code ML for analysts. Tabular, time series, text, and image predictions, plus access to foundation models. | AutoML for classification, regression, forecasting, computer vision, and NLP, from code (SDK/CLI v2) or a no-code studio UI. |
| Pricing model | Billed for the underlying training and processing compute (Canvas has its own session pricing). | Billed for the compute the AutoML job uses. |
| Docs | SageMaker Autopilot docs Amazon SageMaker Canvas docs | Azure ML automated ML (AutoML) docs |
| Pricing page | SageMaker Autopilot pricing Amazon SageMaker Canvas pricing | Azure ML automated ML (AutoML) pricing |
| Exams | MLA-C01 Retiring AIF-C01 | AI-300 AI-901 |
Key differences
- Azure AutoML covers classification, regression, forecasting, computer vision (image classification, detection, segmentation), and NLP, from code or the studio UI.
- Autopilot's UI moved to Canvas in 2023, and the Autopilot APIs remain for code users.
- Azure AutoML for images is Microsoft's recommended replacement for the retiring Custom Vision.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Billed for the underlying training and processing compute (Canvas has its own session pricing). SageMaker Autopilot pricing → Amazon SageMaker Canvas pricing →
- Azure
- Billed for the compute the AutoML job uses. Azure ML automated ML (AutoML) pricing →
Certification exam mapping
| Exam | Provider | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate MLA-C01 | AWS | Associate | retiring Being updated to MLA-C02 (beta registration opened Sep 1, 2026). Last day for MLA-C01 in English was Sep 28, 2026; Korean, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese remain until MLA-C02 GA. |
| AWS Certified AI Practitioner AIF-C01 | AWS | Foundational | current Italian and German versions retire after Oct 15, 2026 (per AWS cert page). |
| Microsoft Certified – Machine Learning Operations Engineer Associate AI-300 | Azure | Associate | current MLOps and GenAIOps infrastructure on Azure (IaC with Bicep/CLI, GitHub Actions). Closest successor in scope to the retired DP-100. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure AI Fundamentals AI-901 | Azure | Fundamentals | current AI-901 replaces AI-900 for this certification (English version updated Apr 15, 2026). Covers Microsoft Foundry. |
Relevance is based on each exam's published scope, not a line-by-line objective match. Check the official study guide.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of SageMaker Autopilot and Amazon SageMaker Canvas?
SageMaker Autopilot (now surfaced in SageMaker Canvas) maps to Azure Machine Learning automated ML.
How does pricing compare between SageMaker Autopilot and Amazon SageMaker Canvas and Azure ML automated ML (AutoML)?
AWS: Billed for the underlying training and processing compute (Canvas has its own session pricing). Azure: Billed for the compute the AutoML job uses. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate (MLA-C01) [retiring]; AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01); Microsoft Certified – Machine Learning Operations Engineer Associate (AI-300); Microsoft Certified – Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901).