Top consulting and venture capital leaders say the idea learning ends after college is outdated in today’s AI-driven economy.
While many assume formal learning is limited to a bachelor’s or master’s degree, both the CEO of VC firm General Catalyst, Hemant Taneja, and McKinsey’s top executive, Bob Sternfels, say that’s not the case anymore.
Employees must skill and re-skill constantly to stay afloat, said Taneja, whose VC firm has invested in companies such as Anduril and Anthropic. Taneja discussed this during a live taping of the All-In podcast, hosted by entrepreneur and investor Jason Calacanis Tuesday at CES 2026, a massive annual tech trade show in Las Vegas.
“This idea that we spend 22 years learning and then 40 years working is broken,” Taneja said.
Yet, in a workplace where AI agents can be trained quicker than employees, workers don’t only need knowledge, they must find ways to stay relevant, said host Calacanis, who himself made early investments in trading app Robinhood and Uber.
