Data from December shows the U.S. economy added more than 4.5 million jobs last year — the second best on record following 6.4 million in 2021, Axios' Courtenay Brown writes.

Why it matters: There is still healthy demand for workers — the latest sign that the economy is holding up despite recession fears and continued job cuts in tech.

• Yet as the economy has recovered, many ways of doing business will remain forever changed, Hope writes.

Zoom in: One industry gaining popularity is that of CG merchandise art.

• While not new — furniture retailer Ikea was producing 75% of its catalog using CG images back in 2014 — work in the field has recently been fueled by supply chain complications and growing consumer demand for striking visuals.

Hope spoke with Haruko Hayakawa, a CG artist and creative director in New York, who said she receives four or more requests a week for her 3D modeling work, compared to maybe one a week pre-pandemic.

• Her clients range from beverage companies and beauty brands —including Kim Kardashian's SKKN and Tom Ford — to musicians and editorial outlets like Bon Appetit.

The requests: With lengthy manufacturing lead times, brands with no products on hand to shoot ask Hayakawa to 3D model products and visualize them for creative projects.

• CG and 3D visualizations can be more creative — and cost-effective — than large-scale photography shoots, she says.
• The images could end up in social media campaigns or investor pitches.

Zoom out: The pandemic spurred huge amounts of digital content as lockdowns and social distancing kept people home.

• "There's just such a high demand of really beautiful visuals and to have new ones very, very quickly," she says. "I think people want to see things that are more fun ... maybe a little strange, and [with a] sense of nostalgic coolness to it."

A shift away from noncompete agreements could impact more than 1 in 10 low- and moderate-income workers for the better, Hope writes.

Why it matters: Restrictive employment contracts are especially concerning for lower-wage workers, who generally have less access to legal advice than other workers. The agreements also stifle pay, Minneapolis Fed researchers write.

💊 Eisai and Biogen received FDA approval for their new Alzheimer’s drug. (Axios)

🍔 McDonald’s plans to trim corporate staff as part of a strategic revamp. (WSJ)

California faces more destructive weather systems this month, which could compound existing damage, Hope writes.

Why it matters: Nearly 100,000 homes and businesses are still without power, evacuation orders are in effect and economic losses are already being estimated at $1 billion.

• The next storm, expected Monday, will be dangerous, Axios’ Andrew Freedman reports.

Zoom out: The U.S. has experienced nearly 350 weather and climate disasters since 1980 where overall damages reached or exceeded $1 billion each, NOAA data shows.

• Extreme weather events impact both the supply and demand sides of economies, playing a role in how the price of commodities, transportation and wages change.

Be smart: Although population growth and growth in areas at risk have driven much of the cost increases in disasters, extreme weather events are growing more severe and frequent in a warming world, further challenging society, Andrew tells Hope.

A bike-powered desk. An EV with a programmable rear light display. A wireless TV.

Driving the news: The 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas features a wide variety of innovation, but these products particularly caught our eye, Nathan writes:

• Acer's eKinekt BD 3 bike desk allows users to pedal-power their laptops and other devices via a stationary bike.
• The AFEELA electric vehicle prototype delivered by Sony and Honda allows drivers "to post anything from sports scores to Spider-Man animations on your flickering back lights," Wired reports.
• LG's 97-inch Signature OLED M TV uses the company's Zero Connect technology to shun all cords but a power cable.

🤔 What to watch: Which products ultimately hit shelves, and how much they'll cost.

"Love you boys."