May marked another month this year when the labor market was stronger-than-expected, the latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed.

Job gains were well above expectations, with some industries reporting stronger growth than healthcare—the backbone of US job growth in recent years—while the unemployment rate stayed the same. That said, the majority of industries are still experiencing sluggishness, and a rethinking of talent acquisition and retention strategy may be due, experts told HR Brew.

Diving into the data. Employers added 172,000 jobs in May, a much stronger showing than the 80,000 jobs expected by analysts polled by the Wall Street Journal ahead of the data’s release. By industry, leisure and hospitality led job growth in May, adding 70,000 jobs primarily concentrated in food services and drinking places, which increased by 48,000. Local government employment followed, adding 55,000 jobs. Healthcare added 35,000 jobs in May, slightly below its average monthly gains of 38,000 over the past year, and around 11,000 of which were in home health care services. Similarly, social assistance added 12,000 jobs last month, primarily in individual and family services.

Zoom out. Despite growth in certain sectors, job growth remains stable, if not stagnant, in most industries. Many employers, including those in light industrial manufacturing, are currently being selective when hiring, wanting to ensure that the talent they hire have the right skills, Sara Breiner, area VP at Adecco, said.

For more on what HR needs to know about the jobs report, keep reading here.—PM

Samsung Electronics is reaping remarkable profits from the AI boom. The semiconductor division that makes memory chips critical to AI systems posted record earnings during the first quarter of this year, the company announced April 30. Samsung’s net profit soared to the equivalent of $31.72 billion that quarter, a 474% increase from the year prior, according to the Wall Street Journal.

But Samsung workers aren’t getting an adequate share of these profits, they recently argued. In order to avert a strike, Samsung agreed to give certain employees in the chipmaking division bigger bonuses.

The deal speaks to the growing dichotomy between corporate profits and employee earnings, which is now being intensified by AI.

For more on the widening gap between corporate profits and worker earnings, keep reading here.—CV

As leaders increasingly turn to AI to make business decisions, governments are deciding what (if any) guardrails to add.

Where in the world? China, the world’s second most populous country, with 1.4 billion people, is grappling with how to responsibly integrate AI into its culture and workplaces, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The Chinese government has warned companies to watch how they deploy AI and how it impacts the workforce. The country seems especially concerned about AI’s impact on young workers, who have a 16% unemployment rate in urban areas and limited access to good jobs.

Satellite view. In the US, companies like Cisco, Block, and Meta have cited AI as the reason for many layoffs and fewer entry level positions, according to the Associated Press.

For more on how AI is poised to affect workplaces around the world, keep reading here.—KP