The air crackled with anticipation at CES 2026, not just from the dazzling displays of futuristic gadgets, but from a palpable sense of transformation. Forget incremental improvements; the message resonating from the keynote stage was one of fundamental shifts, driven by the relentless march of artificial intelligence. The old rules are being rewritten, and the implications for businesses and individuals are profound.

The rise of AI isn't just another tech cycle; it's a paradigm shift demanding constant adaptation. The era of "learn once, work forever" is definitively over, according to Bob Sternfels, Global Managing Partner of McKinsey Company, and Hemant Taneja, CEO of General Catalyst. The two industry titans shared their insights during a live taping of the All-In podcast with Jason Calacanis, dissecting the seismic impact of AI on investment strategies and the future of work.

Taneja painted a picture of unprecedented growth, highlighting the meteoric rise of AI companies. He contrasted the 12 years it took Stripe to reach a $100 billion valuation with the astonishing ascent of Anthropic, a General Catalyst portfolio company. Anthropic's valuation skyrocketed from $60 billion last year to a couple hundred billion this year. This rapid acceleration, Taneja believes, signals the dawn of a new wave of trillion-dollar companies. He specifically name-checked Anthropic and OpenAI as frontrunners in this race.

Calacanis, ever the probing interviewer, pressed Sternfels and Taneja on the drivers behind this explosive growth. Sternfels acknowledged that while many companies are experimenting with AI products, a significant portion of the non-tech sector remains hesitant about full-scale adoption. This reluctance, he suggested, stems from a combination of factors, including concerns about implementation costs, data security, and the need for workforce retraining.

The challenge for businesses, Sternfels emphasized, lies in understanding how to effectively integrate AI into their existing operations. It's not simply about replacing human workers with algorithms, but about augmenting human capabilities and creating new opportunities. This requires a fundamental shift in mindset, from viewing AI as a threat to embracing it as a powerful tool for innovation and growth.

Taneja echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and adaptation. "The skills that are relevant today may be obsolete tomorrow," he warned. "Individuals and organizations need to invest in lifelong learning to stay ahead of the curve." This includes not just technical skills, but also critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity – the very qualities that AI is still struggling to replicate.

The future, according to Sternfels and Taneja, belongs to those who are willing to embrace change and adapt to the new realities of the AI-powered world. It's a future where learning is a continuous process, where innovation is paramount, and where the ability to collaborate with AI will be a defining characteristic of success. The message from CES 2026 was clear: the AI revolution is not coming; it's already here, and it's reshaping everything in its path.