100 Years of Progress in 100 Days: Sequoia AI Ascent 2026 Keynote

AI represents a fundamental shift from communication-based technological revolutions to a computation-based one, marking the arrival of AGI-like capabilities. This transition is defined by the emergence of autonomous agents capable of reasoning, planning, and executing tasks over long horizons, effectively turning services into the new software. Organizations building on top of foundation models should adopt a "MAD" strategy—prioritizing moats through customer-centricity, enhancing affordance to reduce friction, and exploiting the diffusion gap between rapid model advancements and enterprise adoption. As machines take over 99.9% of cognitive work, the economic landscape will mirror the Industrial Revolution, necessitating a shift toward "alien design" and new scientific frameworks. While AI handles the labor of computation, human connection and adaptability remain the essential drivers of value in an increasingly automated world.