Chapter 2 of 7 · Microsoft AI-901
Model Components and Configurations
How generative models work, choosing a model, deployment options and parameters such as temperature.
- 2topics
- 11 minfast track
- 2diagrams and exhibits
Topics in this chapter
Take them in order, or jump to the one you need.
- 1How Generative AI Models WorkAI-901 generative AI basics: tokens, embeddings, transformers, next token prediction, the context window, grounding…Diagram6 min
- 2Choosing and Deploying a ModelAI-901 model choice and deployment: the Foundry catalog, selection criteria, standard, provisioned and batch deployments, quotas…5 min
About this chapter
What this chapter covers
This chapter explains how generative AI models work and how you choose, deploy and tune one. It covers tokens, embeddings and the context window, the kinds of model you can pick from the Foundry catalogue, how deployment works, and the parameters that change a model's behaviour.
The questions are practical. A scenario describes a problem, such as answers that stop mid sentence, and asks which setting to change.
How the topics fit together
The pages follow the order in which you meet a model.
- How generative AI models work covers tokens, embeddings, context windows and next token prediction.
- Choosing and deploying a model covers model types, selection criteria, deployment options and parameters such as temperature, top p and max tokens.
For parameter questions, learn the direction of each one. Lower temperature is more consistent. Higher max tokens allows longer answers. A rate limit error is HTTP 429.
How to use these pages
Each topic page has the same shape, so you can skim for what you need.
- What it is: the idea in plain words.
- How it works: the mechanism, with examples and tables.
- What to remember for the exam: the facts to memorise and how questions are phrased.
- Common mistakes: the classic traps.
- Check yourself: three questions to test your understanding.
Ready for more practice?
The full Microsoft AI-901 question bank has 511 questions, with timed practice exams and an explanation for every answer.
This study guide is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Microsoft. Vendor names, certification names and exam codes are trademarks of their respective owners and are used for identification only.