Axios

Paula S. Davis has joined executive search firm Korn Ferry as a principal on its global corporate affairs team.

The big picture: As the corporate affairs remit expands, executive talent firms are being asked to find leaders who don't have just comms expertise but also business acumen, experience counseling CEOs and familiarity with emerging tech like AI.

U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in August, while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%, the Labor Department said on Friday.

Why it matters: The better-than-expected report is fresh evidence of the labor market's resilience, easing fears that a hiring slowdown had taken hold.

It used to be that if yields on U.S. government bonds were rising, you could pretty much assume that stocks would be on the upswing, too. Not anymore.

Why it matters: When such longstanding market relationships — known on Wall Street as "correlations" — change, it often mirrors adjustments in investor thinking that can set markets on a new course.

The Dutch central bank said this week that it was shifting about 86 tonnes of gold bars out of New York and Canada and moving them closer to home.

Why it matters: Countries are rethinking where they stash their gold reserves, as relations with the United States have frayed and geopolitical unrest has risen.

• The move comes at a time when the status of the U.S. at the center of the world financial system is in question.
• Foreign governments also now hold a much lower share of U.S. Treasury bonds.

Tesla customers in Austin, Texas, can now book rides in a driverless Cybercab that has no steering wheel or pedals.

Why it matters: While the initial fleet size is limited, the Cybercab's official commercial launch marks the beginning of CEO Elon Musk's vision for an autonomous future.

Nvidia's acquisition of Hugging Face accelerates the chipmaker's push to dominate the broader AI ecosystem while placing it squarely at the center of the open-source movement.

Why it matters: Nvidia wants to be more than a really good chip designer — and it's using its deep pockets to tighten its grip on the software and development tools that power the AI supply chain.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced new legislation Thursday calling for a permanent ban on superintelligence alongside a renewed demand for a pause on advanced AI development.

Why it matters: Sanders is the first prominent American politician to call for an outright ban on superintelligence as Big Tech companies release increasingly powerful AI models that they themselves admit they may not be able to control.

For only the second time in a quarter century, a majority of Republicans — 52% — approve of labor unions, according to a new Gallup poll.

Why it matters: Despite Americans' rising approval, union membership remains near a modern low. Congress has repeatedly blocked labor's biggest priorities, and House Republicans are now investigating unions, even as their own voters approve of them.

Defense tech has become one of venture capital's hottest sectors, after being ignored for decades, but it just lost a top evangelist within the Pentagon.

Vibes check: Defense-tech investors tell Axios that they're concerned and disappointed, but not slowing down.

A mistake can land a company in trouble with the public, but a bad response can give audiences entirely new reasons to stay angry.

Why it matters: Corporate apologies are unfolding in an environment where audiences scrutinize not just the apology itself, but how long they waited for it, whether they can respond and whether promised commitments ever materialize — with consequences that can reach the C-suite.