McKinsey & General Catalyst: ‘Learn Once, Work Forever’ Is Over
▼ Summary
– AI is reshaping technology at an unprecedented speed and scale, a point of consensus among CES 2026 keynote speakers.
– AI company valuations are exploding, with firms like Anthropic reaching hundreds of billions in valuation far faster than previous tech companies.
– Non-tech corporate leaders are divided on AI adoption, with CFOs cautious on ROI and CIOs fearing disruption if they don’t implement it.
– The essential human skills for an AI-driven future are identified as sound judgment and creativity, not just technical tasks.
– The workforce must adapt through lifelong learning, as the traditional model of education followed by work is now considered broken.
The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is fundamentally altering the business landscape, creating both immense opportunities and significant challenges for companies and their employees. This transformation was a central theme in a recent discussion featuring top executives from McKinsey & Company and venture firm General Catalyst, who argued that the traditional model of education and work is becoming obsolete.
During the conversation, General Catalyst CEO Hemant Taneja highlighted the unprecedented speed of value creation in the AI sector. He pointed out that while a company like Stripe took roughly a dozen years to achieve a $100 billion valuation, AI firms are moving at a blistering pace. Anthropic, for instance, saw its valuation jump from $60 billion to several hundred billion in just a single year. Taneja firmly believes this trajectory points toward the emergence of new trillion-dollar companies in the near future, naming firms like OpenAI and Anthropic as leading contenders.
A major point of tension for corporate leaders, according to McKinsey’s Global Managing Partner Bob Sternfels, is the internal debate over AI adoption. He explained that CEOs are often caught between conflicting advice from their financial and technology officers. Chief Financial Officers, seeing unclear returns, frequently advocate for a cautious, wait-and-see approach. In contrast, Chief Information Officers warn that failing to implement AI is a reckless strategy that will leave the company vulnerable to disruption from more agile competitors.
The impact on the workforce is another critical concern. The panel addressed widespread anxiety that AI could automate many entry-level positions, traditionally a starting point for new graduates. When asked what skills will remain valuable, Sternfels emphasized that sound judgment and creativity are uniquely human capabilities that AI cannot replicate. These will be the essential traits for professional success.
Taneja built on this by challenging the conventional life path of extended education followed by decades of stable work. He asserted that the old model is “broken.” In the new economy, continuous learning is not optional. “Skilling and re-skilling” must become a permanent, lifelong commitment for every professional who wants to stay relevant. The host, Jason Calacanis, agreed, noting that with AI agents potentially being built faster than humans can be trained, individuals must differentiate themselves through intangible qualities like drive, passion, and initiative.
Sternfels provided a concrete example from his own firm, illustrating how roles are evolving rather than simply disappearing. McKinsey anticipates deploying as many personalized AI agents as it has employees by the end of 2026. However, this doesn’t mean a reduction in overall staff. Instead, the company is actively reshaping its workforce, increasing client-facing roles by 25% while reducing back-office positions by a corresponding amount. This shift underscores a broader trend: AI is changing the composition of work, prioritizing human-centric skills like relationship management and strategic thinking over routine administrative tasks.
(Source: TechCrunch)
