McKinsey and General Catalyst Execs Say the Era of ‘Learn Once, Work Forever’ is Over
AI is ending the “learn once, work forever” era. Execs from McKinsey and General Catalyst explain what workers and companies must do next.
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McKinsey and General Catalyst Execs Say the Era of ‘Learn Once, Work Forever’ is Over
AI Reshapes Work: “Learn Once, Work Forever” Is Over At CES 2026, a clear message emerged from tech leaders and investors alike: the old model of education and employment is obsolete. In a live taping of the All-In podcast, executives from McKinsey & Company and General Catalyst declared that AI is not just changing how we work—it’s redefining the very foundation of careers. With trillion-dollar valuations now within reach for AI firms and companies torn between cautious finance teams and urgent tech leaders, one thing is certain: continuous learning is no longer optional—it’s survival. Credit: Google The AI Gold Rush Is Real—and Accelerating Hemant Taneja, CEO of venture powerhouse General Catalyst, didn’t mince words when describing AI’s breakneck pace. “It took Stripe 12 years to hit a $100 billion valuation,” he noted. “Anthropic went from $60 billion to a few hundred billion in just one year.” This explosive growth signals a new economic era, where AI-native companies could soon …
