The Future of Onboarding: Why 2025 is the Year AI Transforms Ramp Time

Written by Kelly Lewis – founder at the Revenue Insiders and former VP of Enablement at Highspot

The way we onboard new sales reps is broken.

For years, companies have accepted lengthy ramp times as a necessary cost of doing business. The average onboarding process for a new sales rep takes three to six months, with some industries stretching that even longer. But as we head into 2025, the old model of onboarding is no longer sustainable.

Why? Because AI, particularly GenAI and AI agents, is fundamentally changing how knowledge is absorbed, retained, and applied. According to Gartner 25% of organizations have plans to update their onboarding programs with Gen AI in 2025. Failing to integrate AI into your onboarding program means losing a competitive edge, delaying rep productivity, and ultimately, leaving revenue on the table.

AI is Already Disrupting Onboarding—And It’s Just the Beginning

Several AI-driven advancements are accelerating onboarding in ways that were impossible even a few years ago:

• AI Role Play: Instead of relying on frontline managers to coach talk tracks, reps can now practice with AI-powered role-playing tools like that provide instant feedback.
• AI Tutors: AI-driven tutors provide guided learning, answering common questions and reinforcing knowledge in real-time. 
• LLM Search: No more waiting for a manager’s response—AI-powered search allows reps to find answers on demand, helping them learn in the moment.
• Automated SOPs: AI tools can take recorded training sessions or SOP walkthroughs and automatically generate step-by-step learning materials, making it easier than ever for reps to retain knowledge. Time sucking SCORM builds are so 2024. 
• AI Agents Automating Sales Tasks: With the addition of AI agents in sales engagement and revenue intelligence tools, sellers automatically receive feedback on how to follow up and what the best next activity is, ensuring they don’t miss any steps in their company’s personalized sales process. As a new representative, much time is spent writing and constructing materials that will be used repeatedly. However, AI enables reps to leverage the best practices of their peers, streamlining their workflow and accelerating productivity.
• AI-Enhanced Manager Coaching: Managers are still vital to the onboarding process. However, with manager coaching tools and insights they never had before, managers can identify where sellers are getting stuck in the sales process earlier. This allows them to direct their feedback and coaching in those specific areas instead of using a broad approach.

What You Should Update in Your Onboarding Program for 2025

If you want to stay ahead, here are four critical updates your onboarding program needs:

1. Immediate Knowledge: What Reps Need on Day One

Forget drowning new hires in theory. AI-powered SOP tools like Scribe streamline the creation process making creation 15% faster, and can ensure reps immediately grasp essential processes, from prospecting techniques to CRM usage. ,AI-driven search allows them to access just-in-time learning rather than forcing them to memorize workflows upfront.

2. Elevator Pitch and Differentiation Mastery with AI

Understanding the product, competitive advantages, and talk tracks shouldn’t take weeks. Onboarding programs using AI role play and AI tutors like Yoodli, see decreased ramp time by 40%, allowing reps to practice their pitch with immediate feedback—ensuring fluency before their first real customer conversation.

3. Continuous Reinforcement + Action 

Most onboarding programs drop off after the initial training, leaving reps unsupported. According to Arist a AI-powered learning tool, simply spacing content out over a few days can help reps remember 80% more info and take 33% more action. Bite sized enablement and knowledge checks via Slack, Teams, or SMS, ensures reps stay engaged beyond the first few weeks. Ongoing AI-driven enablement training should be standard.

4. AI-Powered Access to Winning Calls

Experience is the best teacher. Reps should have access to successful sales conversations from day one. AI-powered platforms like Nooks allow reps to listen in on live calls, while tools like Gong, Highspot, and Seismic leverage AI to surface the most relevant call recordings based on specific topics and challenges.

5. Enablement-Driven Manager Coaching Support

Enablement should provide managers with clear guidance on where to look for insights to help new hires and onboarding sellers. Tools like Gong are using over 300 unique signals and are  leading the way in offering managers insights. Additionally, it should outline expectations for when and where managers should seek help, ensuring they feel confident in their onboarding plans and can provide targeted support when needed. AI role-play can also help managers practice for these coaching conversations. 

2025: The Year Onboarding Finally Catches Up to AI

Companies that fail to truly integrate AI into onboarding will continue to experience unnecessarily long ramp times, low rep confidence, and high turnover. Those that embrace AI-driven onboarding will cut ramp time, boost rep satisfaction, and drive revenue faster.

The playbook for onboarding is being rewritten. Are you keeping up?

Let’s talk.