When Impel launched the Automotive AI Industry Certification with RockED in 2025, the goal was clear: give dealership teams the knowledge and confidence to work alongside AI — while making it credentialed, measurable, and built to last.
Just nine months later, the results have exceeded every expectation.
More than 8,000 enrollments have come in from 1,600+ dealerships across 20 states, representing 15 OEM brands and spanning every major function: sales floor, service lane, BDC, F&I, and management. More than 3,500 credentials have already been issued.
This isn’t a program that stayed in one department. It spread across organizations organically. That’s what real enablement looks like.
They didn’t just learn it. They’re using it.
Building the program was step one. Changing how teams actually work with AI was the real test.
78% of certified professionals surveyed report improved AI confidence after completing the program, with half saying it improved significantly. That’s the number that matters most, because confidence is the prerequisite for everything else. AI only works when people trust it — and trust starts with understanding what it actually does: amplify human performance, not replace it.
And they’re not just feeling more confident. They’re putting it to work. 76% are already applying what they learned in their daily roles. The most common use cases? AI-assisted customer follow-up, drafting and refining communications, summarizing conversations, and analyzing sales data. These aren’t theoretical exercises. They’re the tasks that eat up hours every week at a dealership when done manually.
Across all certification tracks, the overall pass rate is 80%. When content is relevant and practical, people show up for it.
Every department. Every level.
One of the most encouraging patterns in the data is who’s enrolling.
53% of enrollees are frontline sales professionals, the largest single cohort and the people closest to the customer every day. In addition, Sales managers, BDC teams, Service advisors, Parts managers, F&I managers, and HR/training leads have all enrolled in meaningful numbers. As AI gets embedded across every corner of the dealership, that breadth makes sense. This isn’t a curriculum for one role. It’s for anyone who needs to work alongside AI, which is increasingly everyone.
What really stands out: GMs, VPs, and Dealer Principals are also enrolling. When leadership learns alongside their teams, it sends a signal that AI readiness isn’t optional. It’s strategic. The data backs that up: Executives and Senior Managers post the highest exam pass rates of any group, consistently scoring above 90%.
Major dealer groups are enrolling teams of 100+ employees, spread across multiple stores. The Certification Program isn’t just about individuals dabbling on their own. Entire organizations are making a deliberate investment to upskill and equip their workforce.
People found it on their own. And they loved it.
Here’s a surprising stat: 89% of participants who completed the program discovered it organically, either through the RockED learning app or through a colleague at their dealership. No top-down mandate. No required training email. Nearly nine in ten people who completed the certification chose to do it because they wanted to. Once they did, they rated it highly. The program earned a 4.7 out of 5 average rating, And course content scored 4.6 out of 5. These aren’t participation-trophy numbers. They reflect a learning experience that was well-designed, accessible, and relevant.
76% said they’d be “extremely likely” to recommend the certification to a colleague. In a world where most corporate training gets an eye roll, that’s a remarkable endorsement.
What certified professionals are saying
The data tells one story. The feedback tells another. We’ll let participants tell it in their own words:
“Sets us apart from average salespeople and shows constant learning and improvement.” — Sales Associate, Northeast
“Gearing up for the next chapter of our business.” — General Manager, South
“Peace of mind. Not being replaced, just being assisted. Enhancing my abilities by delegating time-consuming tasks.” — Sales Associate, Southeast
“What once took hours of manual reporting can now be done in minutes.” — Manager, Midwest
These aren’t people who checked a box. They’re professionals who see AI as a career differentiator and chose to master it.
The credential carries weight
The AI Certification Program was designed to build and demonstrate competence, and the feedback confirms it’s landing that way.
Almost 80% of certified professionals surveyed rated the digital badge extremely or somewhat valuable to their professional credibility. And 34% said they enrolled specifically to earn the LinkedIn credential, a signal that the badge itself is becoming a draw and an important credential for the automotive workforce.
As more professionals earn their Automotive AI Certification, the credential is becoming a recognized marker in the industry that someone has invested in understanding and mastering AI. Not in the abstract, but as it applies to their actual work in automotive retail.
When dealerships train on the products they use every day, the numbers get even sharper. Alongside the general Automotive AI tracks, Impel offers three product-specific certifications — Chat AI, Sales AI, and Service AI — designed for teams that work with these solutions daily. Across those three tracks, the average pass rate is 95%. When learning maps directly to the workflow, mastery follows.
The certified cohort keeps growing
In under a year, the Automotive AI Certification program has proven something important: dealership professionals across every role, brand, and market want to learn. Give them a high-quality, accessible way to do it, and they show up.
More than 8,000 enrollments. 3,500+ credentials earned. 1,600+ dealerships represented. 4,000+ enrollees on the path. The momentum is real. The certified cohort gets larger every week. The credential is gaining authority across the industry. And the feedback from the field keeps reinforcing the same message: this program changes how people think about AI, and how they work with it.
The industry is ready. The people inside dealerships are more than ready to lead the way. They just needed the opportunity.
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Data based on program enrollment records as of March 2026, and enrollee survey responses.