John Stecher, Chief Technology Officer at Blackstone, one of the world’s largest investment firms, has shared his strategic approach to staying ahead in an era where artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the technology landscape. With over two decades of experience, Stecher has witnessed technology evolve from a “magic thing in the back office” to an essential business component that can make or break companies across all industries.
As the executive responsible for Blackstone’s technology, cybersecurity, early-stage technology investment, and portfolio tech optimization teams, Stecher emphasizes that maintaining competitive advantage requires constant upskilling. His approach combines practical learning with real-world application, particularly as AI tools become increasingly central to business operations.
Stecher’s 35-minute subway commute serves as a dedicated learning window where he reads news articles and research papers about applied technology in industries outside finance, including aircraft, robotics, and pharmaceuticals. This cross-industry perspective allows him to identify innovative technology applications that can be adapted for the financial sector. He then discusses these insights with his engineering team, fostering collaborative learning and innovation.
The hands-on component of Stecher’s routine is equally critical. With a computer science background, he dedicates one to two hours each weekend to experimenting with new technologies. This includes building custom tools to parse investment committee memos and using Claude, Anthropic’s AI chatbot, to write code for home automation projects. These practical exercises, while sometimes simple, help him maintain fundamental engineering skills and understand emerging AI capabilities from a user and developer perspective.
Stecher’s philosophy centers on the belief that “the technology under the covers looks the same” across industries, whether working with oil and gas companies or dating apps. This universal approach to understanding technology enables him to apply AI innovations across Blackstone’s diverse portfolio. His routine demonstrates that effective technology leadership in the AI era requires both theoretical knowledge and practical experimentation, combined with the ability to translate learnings across different sectors and applications.
Key Quotes
Technology wasn’t looked at as being an absolute must-have in a business, but it is now. If you have any type of creaky infrastructure technology-wise, it doesn’t matter which industry you’re in, you’re not going to be successful.
John Stecher, Blackstone’s CTO, emphasizes the fundamental shift in how technology has become essential for business success. This quote underscores the critical importance of modern, AI-ready infrastructure across all industries.
You learn a ton about just how to apply different technologies in your industry, if you read about how somebody else did it elsewhere.
Stecher explains his cross-industry learning approach, highlighting how AI and technology innovations can be adapted from one sector to another. This methodology is particularly relevant as AI applications expand across diverse industries.
You can create so many unique software applications, no different than if you’re drawing on a piece of paper.
The CTO describes his hands-on approach to learning technology, including AI tools. This quote reflects his belief that practical experimentation with AI and software development is essential for understanding their capabilities and limitations.
Our Take
Stecher’s upskilling routine offers a blueprint for technology leaders navigating the AI transformation. What’s particularly noteworthy is his balance between theoretical learning and practical application—reading about AI innovations during his commute, then actually building with tools like Claude on weekends. This dual approach is increasingly critical as AI capabilities evolve rapidly.
The cross-industry learning strategy is especially insightful for the AI era, where breakthroughs in one sector often have applications elsewhere. His emphasis on maintaining hands-on technical skills despite his executive role challenges the traditional separation between leadership and technical work. As AI democratizes software development through natural language interfaces, executives who can directly experiment with these tools will have significant strategic advantages. Stecher’s routine demonstrates that staying competitive in AI requires dedicated, consistent effort—not occasional training sessions, but integrated daily and weekly habits that keep leaders technically fluent and strategically informed.
Why This Matters
This story is significant for the AI industry because it illustrates how technology leaders at major financial institutions are adapting to the AI revolution through continuous learning and hands-on experimentation. Stecher’s approach highlights a critical trend: as AI tools like Claude and other generative AI platforms become mainstream, executives must maintain technical proficiency to make informed strategic decisions.
The emphasis on cross-industry learning is particularly relevant as AI applications proliferate across sectors, creating opportunities for knowledge transfer and innovation. For businesses, this underscores the importance of technical literacy at the executive level, especially as AI infrastructure becomes non-negotiable for competitive success. Stecher’s warning that “creaky infrastructure” will doom companies regardless of industry reflects the urgency with which organizations must modernize their technology stacks to accommodate AI capabilities.
For the broader workforce, this signals that continuous upskilling and hands-on experimentation with AI tools will be essential career strategies, even for senior executives. The story demonstrates that staying relevant in the AI era requires dedicated time for learning and practical application, not just passive consumption of information.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/blackstone-cto-explains-daily-weekly-upskilling-routine-2025-12