McKinsey and General Catalyst execs say the era of ‘learn once, work forever’ is over

City: Las Vegas: What we learn in school might not be enough anymore. At CES 2026, McKinsey’s Bob Sternfels and General Catalyst’s Hemant Taneja talked about how AI is changing technology and jobs. Taneja explained that companies like Anthropic are growing fast, which shows AI’s power in creating big-value companies.

However, not all businesses are ready to jump in. Sternfels mentioned that CEOs often face a choice between their CFO and CIO. CFOs are cautious and see little return from AI, while CIOs believe it’s essential to adopt it. This disagreement shows the challenge many companies face.

The rise of AI also brings fears about jobs. Some worry that entry-level positions could disappear. Sternfels advised young people to focus on using their creativity and judgment in this new world. Taneja added that the idea of learning for 22 years and then working for 40 years is outdated.

People need to keep learning throughout their careers. Staying relevant will require passion and drive. Sternfels predicted that by 2026, McKinsey could have as many personalized AI agents as employees. However, that doesn’t mean fewer jobs; instead, they will focus more on client interactions.