Human Times

North American Edition

7th October 2026

THE HOT STORY

DOJ rebrands AI as SI

The U.S. Justice Department has instructed employees to use “super intelligence” and the abbreviation “SI” instead of “artificial intelligence” in most official contexts, including public communications, policy documents and, where appropriate, court filings. The directive from acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter follows President Donald Trump’s executive order requiring federal agencies to adopt the new terminology, which he said better reflects the technology’s potential. Staff were told to make the change “to the maximum extent permitted by law”. The move comes as public confidence in AI has been tested by hacking incidents and wider safety concerns. Trump has generally opposed imposing new regulations on the technology, although he has said the Justice Department could intervene if necessary.

Reuters

U.S. News

WORKFORCE

Job openings: Are they high enough?

Despite 7.1m job openings in the U.S., many young workers face challenges in finding meaningful entry-level positions. Dr. Daryl D. Green, in the inaugural Nehemiah Leadership Brief titled “Where Are the Jobs?”, emphasized: “The national numbers tell us jobs exist. They do not tell us whether the pathway into those jobs is still working.” Research from the Stanford Digital Economy Lab indicates that generative AI adoption has led to a decline in junior workforce representation, particularly affecting workers aged 22 to 25 in AI-exposed roles. Green argues that the focus should shift from fearing job loss to understanding how AI alters job requirements and skills needed for advancement. The Brief aims to guide educators and employers in supporting young workers through this transition.

Cincinnati.com

Kroger refreshes store uniforms

Kroger has rolled out new uniforms for its in-store employees following feedback from customers and staff, with the retailer saying the changes are intended to make employees easier for shoppers to identify. Employees will wear T-shirts or polos, while managers will wear button-down shirts or quarter-zip jackets, with uniforms following blue, red, or black color schemes depending on the store division. The rollout has been completed, and Kroger said early feedback has been positive, with employees appreciating the fit and cohesive appearance. The change marks Kroger’s first mandatory dress code in a decade and affects nearly 400,000 employees.

Cincinnati Enquirer

Economists cast doubt on Silicon Valley theories that AI will kill off jobs

Economists debate AI's impact on jobs, predicting potential job losses or gains, while emphasizing the need for policies to address inequalities and workforce changes.

Financial Times

Pear revolutionizes PTO with cash options

Pear, a fintech company based in San Diego, is introducing a new paid time off (PTO) model that allows employees to choose between keeping their PTO as time off or converting it to cash. "We built Pear around a simple belief: benefits should bend to real life, not the other way around," said Asif Huda, founder and chief executive of Pear. The company aims to onboard approximately 25,000 employees by the next open enrollment cycle.

The State Journal Register

STRATEGY

Plaid CFO pushes finance forward

Plaid finance chief Seun Sodipo is reshaping the finance team to play a more active role in business decision-making, encouraging staff to move beyond analysing numbers and engage directly with company leaders. Sodipo, who joined from Glossier in October 2025 after earlier senior roles at Stripe, said she has focused on “shifting mindsets” so finance employees see business partnership as part of their mandate. She is also preparing Plaid for the AI era and a possible future IPO by strengthening operational rigor and using AI inside finance. The team has built its own benchmarking tool linked to SEC data and developed an AI contract-review system to check customer order forms against Salesforce, replacing third-party providers. Sodipo said she has urged staff to pursue larger AI projects rather than isolated experiments, telling them: “Let’s try and think big.”

Wall Street Journal

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Rip Van appoints former Hershey exec as CEO

Rip Van has appointed former Hershey US president Todd Tillemans as chief executive as the low-sugar snack maker prepares to expand its retail presence and reach $100m in retail sales this year. Mr Tillemans, most recently chief commercial officer at Perdue Farms, succeeds co-founder Rip Pruisken, who will remain involved in daily operations, fundraising, and product development, while fellow co-founder Marco De Leon will continue as chief financial officer. Rip Van, which sells seven lower-sugar, high-fibre snack varieties, is expanding into 1,800 additional stores, including physical Walmart locations later this month, as well as Albertsons, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and Wawa. Its products are already available through Whole Foods Market, Costco, and Walmart online.

Bloomberg

CULTURE

AI transformation: culture struggles to keep pace

Most organizations are struggling to adapt their cultures to keep pace with rapid AI transformation. Eighty-six percent of employers believe AI will fundamentally change their businesses by 2030. However, many companies are still built on outdated norms that hinder adaptability. Korn Ferry's research indicates that instead of seeking an "AI-ready culture," organisations should focus on fostering a culture of adaptability. This involves prioritising impact over activity, encouraging experimentation, and creating decision systems that empower employees. "The advantage will belong to those that build the cultural muscles to keep getting ready," Korn Ferry noted.

Harvard Business Review

HEALTH & SAFETY

Robots meet AI: safety first

Dr. Ding Zhao, director of the Safe AI lab at Carnegie Mellon University, has co-founded Safeworld to address safety challenges in robotics. The company, which has secured over $12m in seed funding, aims to evaluate robotic control systems using simulations with realistic human models. Zhao noted: "The safety challenge... is a combination of... advanced generative AI probabilistic evals." Safeworld's approach is crucial as robots are deployed in unstructured environments, where human interactions can be unpredictable. The founders believe their platform will help establish industry safety standards.

Techcrunch

Gas stoves: a recipe for danger

According to a new study led by researchers from PSE Healthy Energy and Stanford University, gas stoves in restaurants expose workers to harmful air pollution and extreme heat. The study, published in Environmental Research Letters, found that 70% of kitchens with gas appliances had nitrogen dioxide levels exceeding federal standards. Additionally, 68% of gas-fired kitchens recorded temperatures above 90 degrees, posing risks of heat exhaustion. “It's certainly no secret to folks working in commercial kitchens that these are intense environments full of heat and pollution,” said Yannai Kashtan, an air quality scientist. The findings highlight the health risks faced by the 1.8m food service workers in California, emphasizing the need for safer cooking alternatives, such as electric induction stovetops, which do not contribute to excessive heat and pollution.

Los Angeles Times

INTERNATIONAL

MPs demand inquiry after Epstein whistleblower's death

MPs are calling for an inquiry into the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) following the death of Simon Andriesz, a whistleblower in the Jeffrey Epstein case. Andriesz reportedly took his own life after raising concerns about Howard Lutnick, the US commerce secretary, and his ties to Epstein. The all-party parliamentary group on investment fraud stated that Andriesz had sought help from the FCA, fearing retaliation. John McDonnell, chair of the group, noted that Andriesz had acted responsibly by speaking out. The FCA has initiated an internal review of its processes in light of this incident.

The Times

UK firms cut PR spending sharply

UK businesses are reducing their spending on public relations and consultancy services, with only 4.2% investing in these areas in September, according to City AM's Business Spend Pulse. This decline comes despite a 3.1% year-on-year increase in overall spending. The consulting sector experienced the largest cut, down nearly 4%. Meanwhile, spending on AI services surged, with one in seven businesses investing in AI tools, particularly benefiting Anthropic, which captured half of the AI spending. Damian Brychcy, chief executive of Capital on Tap, noted that established businesses are increasing discretionary spending for growth.

City A.M.

South Africa's formal sector sheds 14,000 jobs in Q2

Total employment in South Africa's formal non-agricultural sector fell by 14,000 (-0.1%) in the second quarter, according to the latest Statistics SA Quarterly Employment Statistics report. The decline was primarily due to losses in manufacturing, business services, trade, and transport. However, community services, electricity, mining, and construction saw increases. Year-on-year, total employment decreased by 95,000. Full-time employment dropped by 96,000, while part-time employment rose by 26,000. Gross earnings also fell by R4.8bn, although basic salaries increased by R15.5bn.

Zawya EN

AND FINALLY...

AI glass ceiling now loading

Research from the University of Limerick reveals a gender pay gap among artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Female bots earned about 10% less than their male counterparts, despite having identical technology. Dr Mary Hausfeld, a co-author of the study, said: "What is striking about our findings is that the technology behind these AI agents was exactly the same, but people did not treat them in the same way." The findings will be presented at the 14th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction.

The Independent UK

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