• Meta plans to cut its budget by up to 30% in its Reality Labs metaverse division.
• It's considering job cuts as part of that move, leaving employees uncertain.
• The cuts may impact Horizon Worlds and follow a recent executive strategy meeting in Hawaii.

Meta is planning budget cuts and considering job cuts as part of that across its metaverse unit, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The company is considering budget cuts of up to 30% within its Reality Labs division, which could impact employees working on its virtual spaces platform, Horizon Worlds, according to the person Business Insider spoke to. The person requested anonymity because they're not authorized to speak to the press on these matters.

Bloomberg earlier reported on the potential cuts.

The news follows a meeting last month at Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's Hawaii compound, where he discussed strategy and next year's plans with executives, the person familiar with the matter told Business Insider.

Internally, employees face uncertainty about whether the planned cost cuts will ultimately lead to layoffs. Directors are telling employees that most of the reductions will come from operating expenses, according to two other employees, who asked to remain anonymous because they're not authorized to speak to the press. In addition to salaries, these expenses include payments made by Meta to third-party studios to create games for Horizon.

Meta declined to comment.

The overhaul comes on the back of Reality Labs racking up losses of over $60 billion since 2020 and Meta ramping up its AI spending this year in an increasingly competitive — and expensive — AI race.

Meta's stock rose as much as 4% Thursday morning, adding $69 billion to its market cap and bringing its total value to $1.68 trillion.

Meta's metaverse metamorphosis

It's not the first time that Meta has reorganized its metaverse unit. In October, it tapped Gabriel Aul, who led products for Meta Horizon, and Ryan Cairns, previously in charge of virtual reality hardware, to co-lead its metaverse efforts, according to an internal memo Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth wrote, which was obtained by Business Insider.

Vishal Shah, who helped lead Meta's metaverse initiatives over the past four years, announced in a separate October memo that he is transitioning to Meta Superintelligence Labs. On Wednesday, Meta announced that it has hired Apple design leader Alan Dye to lead a new Reality Labs creative studio.

The company also cut an undisclosed number of Reality Labs employees in April as part of a broader restructuring effort. The cuts affected Oculus Studios, the company's in-house gaming division for Quest headsets, as well as the team behind Supernatural, the VR fitness app that Meta acquired for over $400 million.

Bosworth previously described this year as the "most critical" to proving whether the metaverse is either a visionary feat or a "legendary misadventure," he wrote in a November 2024 internal memo.

"We need to drive sales, retention, and engagement across the board but especially in MR," he wrote at the time, referring to mixed reality. "And Horizon Worlds on mobile absolutely has to break out for our long-term plans to have a chance. If you don't feel the weight of history on you, then you aren't paying attention."

The losses racked up by Reality Labs have drawn investor scrutiny. In Meta's first-quarter earnings call, Evercore analyst Mark Mahaney asked whether Reality Labs losses would ever come down, and if so, why and when. Zuckerberg pointed to the rising momentum behind Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, saying they've "really taken off" and just "tripled in sales" in the last year.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at jmann@businessinsider.com or Signal at jyotimann.11. Contact Pranav Dixit via email at pranavdixit@protonmail.com or Signal at 1-408-905-9124. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Meta Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun is leaving to launch an AI startup.
• LeCun said he plans to develop advanced machine intelligence beyond Meta's current research scope.
• LeCun said Meta will partner with the startup but will not provide direct financial backing.

Meta Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun is leaving Big Tech for a new, riskier bet. And while his soon-to-be former company will be a partner, it won't be an investor.

Last Month, LeCun announced on LinkedIn that he was leaving Meta after 12 years. He spent five of those years as the founding director of Fundamental AI Research, or FAIR, which was once Meta's primary AI research lab, and seven years as the company's chief AI scientist.

Meta, however, this year reorganized its AI department around what it calls its Superintelligence Lab, headed by the Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang.

"I am creating a startup company to continue the Advanced Machine Intelligence research program (AMI) I have been pursuing over the last several years with colleagues at FAIR, at NYU, and beyond," LeCun wrote on LinkedIn in November. "The goal of the startup is to bring about the next big revolution in AI: systems that understand the physical world, have persistent memory, can reason, and can plan complex action sequences."

He isn't severing ties with Meta completely, however. During a talk at the AI-Pulse event in Paris on Thursday, LeCun said that Meta will be a partner of his new endeavor, though not an investor.

"This new architecture is a project that Mark Zuckerberg really likes. He thinks maybe that's the future," LeCun said of his ambition to build world models, advanced machine learning systems that help humans make decisions and predictions from abstract representations of the world. That's different than the LLMs that underpin the most prominent AI chatbots, which rely only on language.

These ambitions stretched beyond Meta's purview, he said.

"He and I both realized that the potential spectrum of applications of this was kind of beyond what Meta was interested in," he said, referring to Zuckerberg.

"The number of applications is so, so, so wide that it was better to do it as an independent entity."

Meta's AI ambitions have shifted more toward superintelligence, a still-theoretical form of AI that can reason as well as, or better than, humans.

The company established its Superintelligence Lab in June. Zuckerberg said he hopes it'll help the company build "personal superintelligence," a term he uses to describe AI systems that could eventually surpass human capabilities.

Neither Meta nor LeCun responded to requests for comment from Business Insider.

• The author shares strategies for HENRYs to maximize earnings and build wealth.
• Budgeting, automation, and regular investing help manage high incomes and rising costs.
• Maintaining lifestyle, avoiding upgrades, and seeking passive income support long-term goals.

From a sheer numbers standpoint, our family would qualify as high-earners. My husband earns a healthy salary and bonuses from his corporate job, while I bring in extra cash from my freelance business.

We're considered HENRYs — high earners, not rich yet. We're also millennials, with student loans, high interest rates, kids, and the rising cost of living to contend with. Here's how we make our money work for us.

We live on a budget

One of the earliest pieces of financial advice I ever received was to live on a budget, regardless of your income. Initially, I scoffed at the idea. Isn't one of the best parts of earning a lot to not worry about money?

Then we started earning more money, my husband at his corporate job, and me with my freelance business. And I realized that the advice was spot-on. The more money you earn, the more you spend, and the easier it is to lose track of things.

Today, even though we're earning the most we've ever earned, we live on a budget — for everything from investing for retirement to saving for our boys' college to paying bills, and even for our biweekly spending allowance.

We automate everything

I automate everything related to my finances. Every payday, our bills are automatically debited, our retirement and college savings contributions are deducted, and our spending money is sent to a separate account.

It's an easy way to stay on budget for someone who doesn't necessarily love checking a bank account every day; plus, it helps us stay on track with our medium and long-term financial goals even when life gets busy. And with two kids, it often is.

We invest regularly

We are still paying off the last of our student loans, but we make investing a priority each month. We contribute the full employer match to my husband's 401(k) and try to max out my SEP IRA each year, as well as both our kids' 529 college savings accounts.

Investing regularly and early is the key to building real wealth, since your money has more time to compound and grow. And while I wish I had started investing in earnest in my 20s, I'm doing what I can in my 30s to make up for lost time.

We don't upgrade if we don't need to

It's so easy to want to upgrade your life, especially when you start earning more. But we try to avoid that common pitfall. For example, we've lived in the same house for seven years, mostly because we have a great interest rate (3.5%). However, we've also realized that at 2,400 square feet, it's the perfect size for our family of four. Would I like a mud room? A bigger living room? Sure, but it's not worth blowing all our equity and savings.

We also have a family rule of sorts — if it works, we don't replace it with a newer, better model. Our phones are older models, and our dishwasher isn't the best, but they both work. So we make it work.

We are looking for a secondary income stream

The next step in our financial journey is building a passive income stream that we can also enjoy. For a year or so, we've been looking to purchase land in rural areas to build a vacation home for our family and eventually set it up as a rental property when we're not using it.

We aren't sure whether we will finance a new property or try to pay cash for land and build slowly; a lot depends on the interest rates at the time. But it's definitely on our radar.

Being a HENRY has its perks. I know that in today's economy, we're lucky to be growing our earnings and building wealth. And while it can be frustrating to still worry about money and live on a budget, even as our income grows, I know one day it will pay off. (Literally.)

• Meghan Markle has worn several stylish looks in 2025.
• Her California-cool style often includes monochromatic outfits with high-end accents.
• Meghan's most daring look of the year was a low-cut blazer.

Meghan Markle has had a busy year.

From starring in her Netflix series and launching As Ever to attending her first-ever Paris Fashion Week show, the Duchess of Sussex has been expanding her post-royal footprint — and having fun with her fashion while doing it.

Meghan has worn an array of stylish looks in 2025, including monochromatic sets and statement suits.

Take a look at some of Meghan's best style moments of the year.

Meghan elevated a casual look with a blazer at the 2025 Invictus Games in February.

When Meghan supported Prince Harry at the Invictus Games, she wore a series of casual ensembles.

One of her standout looks from the week paired a blue La Ligne sweater with flared jeans from Veronica Beard. She added a double-breasted Dôen blazer to the ensemble, giving the look a professional edge.

Stuart Weitzman boots completed the ensemble.

She wore several relaxed looks during the first season of her Netflix show, "With Love, Meghan," including a floral-printed dress.

Meghan's series, "With Love, Meghan," premiered in March, showcasing the duchess cooking and crafting with famous guests. In season one, Meghan leaned into her California-cool style with breezy blouses and printed dresses.

One of her best looks from season one was a linen dress from Ralph Lauren.

The cream, collared dress featured a pattern of florals in muted pastels, with buttons lining the front. Meghan cinched the dress at the waist with a brown belt. Gold accessories and a ponytail added to the relaxed feel of the look.

She showed off the professional side of her style at the Time100 Summit in April.

Meghan spoke at the Tim100 Summit in April, following the launch of her lifestyle brand, As Ever. She wore a linen Ralph Lauren suit for the occasion.

The taupe set included an oversize blazer and wide-legged trousers. Meghan paired the suit with a white blouse and a brown belt, and she wore her hair down.

She completed the look with brown Manolo Blahnik pumps for a high-fashion edge. The outfit felt both beachy and professional, perfectly encapsulating her As Ever brand.

One of her casual looks on season two of "With Love, Meghan" was her best of the bunch.

Meghan kept up her chic and simple style in season two of "With Love, Meghan," which premiered on Netflix in August.

One of her best looks came in episode one. She wore a blue, striped button-down — which she wore with the collar popped and sleeves rolled up — and AYR jeans.

She styled the look with a pearl necklace and a low ponytail, creating an outfit that was both approachable and expertly curated.

The Duchess of Sussex made her debut at Paris Fashion Week in a chic white suit.

Meghan attended Pierpaolo Piccioli's first Balenciaga presentation at Paris Fashion Week on October 4. The event marked the Duchess of Sussex's first-ever attendance at a runway show in Paris, and she came dressed in an all-white look from Balenciaga for the occasion.

Meghan paired her silky, loose blouse with coordinating trousers. A white cape sat on her shoulders and swept dramatically behind her, adding an elegant touch. Black pumps and a black clutch contrasted with the rest of the white ensemble.

The duchess wore her hair in a sleek bun, letting her ensemble be the focus of her look.

The black dress she wore after the Balenciaga show was just as chic as her white ensemble.

Meghan had a wardrobe change after the Balenciaga show, trading her white set for a black dress.

The dress fell to her ankles, and, like her first look, it included a cape. It sat diagonally on her bodice, covering one of her arms before flowing out behind her.

She wore the same pumps and kept her hair up, transforming the accessories from elegant to moody in her new look.

Meghan wore her most daring look of 2025 to a gala in October.

Harry and Meghan attended Project Healthy Minds' annual gala on October 9 in coordinating Giorgio Armani suits.

Meghan gave her black suit a sexy edge by wearing no shirt under her blazer, which plunged to her midriff.

She wore her hair in an updo, drawing the eye to the statement gold choker from Anine Bing around her neck, and she carried Armani's La Prima clutch.

The Duchess of Sussex embodied stylish winter wear with an all-brown look on "With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration."

Meghan's Netflix holiday special began streaming on December 3, and the Duchess of Sussex wore a series of wintry ensembles fit for California in the special.

The standout look of the bunch was a monochromatic brown look she wore to make Christmas crackers with Will Guidara.

For the outfit, Meghan paired a knit Gabriela Hearst sweater vest with wool trousers. She added gold jewelry to the outfit, including a watch and a bangle, for elevated touches, while her relaxed ponytail kept the look from feeling too formal. The ensemble was effortless and stylish.

• CNBC is partnering with prediction site Kalshi to integrate its data, starting in 2026.
• Kalshi and Polymarket have become popular by letting users make money by trading futures contracts.
• Some state regulators are pushing back against the prediction sites.

Kalshi is ramping up its media partnerships with a new CNBC deal.

The popular prediction site has a new multi-year partnership with the business news giant that will put Kalshi's real-time prediction data across CNBC's channel, site, and app, starting in 2026.

Kalshi reached a similar data integration deal with CNN on Tuesday. That day, Kalshi also announced that it had raised $1 billion from investors at an $11 billion valuation.

The terms of the two partnerships weren't disclosed, but a person familiar with the deals said that money is changing hands in both. Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour told Axios that CNN isn't paying to license Kalshi's data.

Prediction markets like Kalshi and rival Polymarket let users trade contracts about the outcomes of events — from elections to sports games, or even whether it will rain in a city before a certain date.

CNBC viewers will be able to see what Kalshi users believe are the probabilities of different market and economic outcomes, such as whether the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates at its next meeting, based on the way those users are trading contracts. The financial news outlet will also feature a Kalshi-branded ticker during select TV segments on shows such as "Squawk Box" and "Fast Money." Kalshi will have a CNBC-branded page on its website.

Mansour said in a statement that the CNBC partnership is "the next evolution: moving from data about what's happening now, to real-time forecasts about what's happening next."

CNBC President KC Sullivan said in a statement that "prediction markets are rapidly shaping how investors and business leaders think about important events."

"Kalshi's data will serve as a powerful complement to CNBC's reporting and help people stay better informed about the world around them," he added.

Real-time markets data — like stock prices — have been a staple of CNBC for decades. The business news network is now turning to predictions data to help keep users engaged.

News organizations like CNBC could see engagement rise if viewers and readers connect to prediction data as way to gamify news. Prediction sites "can be highly engaging" since they can "create a feeling of being connected to real events as they unfold," said Daniel Umfleet, the CEO of telehealth service Kindbridge Behavioral Health, which works with gamblers.

Prediction sites could also turn into a new revenue stream for media companies, similar to how sports betting ads are now ubiquitous across sports networks and podcasts.

Kalshi isn't the only prediction site striking deals. Rival Polymarket reached a prediction data integration deal with Yahoo Finance in mid-November, and earlier this year became the official prediction market service for X, formerly known as Twitter. Polymarket and Kalshi also reached prediction data deals with Google in November.

Partnerships with major news organizations are beneficial for Kalshi since they're "a form of brand building," Morningstar gaming analyst Dan Wasiolek told Business Insider.

Prediction markets are popular but getting pushback

Prediction sites are increasingly popular. Kalshi announced in early December that its trading volume had risen eightfold since July.

Prediction markets have also drawn controversy, particularly around their similarities to gambling.

Kalshi and Polymarket are similar to online sportsbooks in the sense that they allow users to profit from predictions on the outcomes of events like games. However, they are classified as exchange markets for futures contracts that are regulated by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Instead of setting odds, these prediction markets price contracts and facilitate trades between their users.

Since Kalshi and Polymarket aren't sportsbooks, the platforms argue that they shouldn't be regulated at the state level. That said, some state regulators have targeted them.

In late November, a US District Court judge in Nevada ruled against Kalshi, saying "Kalshi is not licensed to conduct gaming in Nevada or any other state" and that the company was trying to "evade state regulation." Kalshi disputed this characterization and has appealed the ruling.

On Wednesday, the gaming division of Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection issued a cease and desist order for Kalshi and investment platforms Robinhood and Crypto.com, calling their prediction markets "unlicensed online gambling" and saying they were "operating outside a regulatory environment."

"As other courts have recognized, Kalshi is a regulated, nationwide exchange for real-world events, and it is subject to exclusive federal jurisdiction," Mansour, Kalshi's CEO, said in a statement. "It's very different from what state-regulated sportsbooks and casinos offer their customers. We are confident in our legal arguments and have filed suit in federal court."

A class action lawsuit filed late last month similarly claimed Kalshi had violated state gambling laws. Kalshi disputes the claim. The case is ongoing.

If similar legal cases continue, the Supreme Court may eventually have to rule whether prediction markets like Kalshi should be legal in all 50 states.

Prediction markets are upsetting sportsbooks

Sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings have responded to the success of Kalshi and Polymarket by announcing plans to launch their own competing prediction sites. Robinhood is also extending its prediction markets, which it said last week were its fastest-growing product line by revenue.

The prediction market landscape is "even more 'Wild West' than sports betting" because of the lack of clarity around regulation, said Rachel Volberg, a gambling researcher and professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Morningstar's Wasiolek said he thought prediction markets would have a positive impact on sportsbooks, and that they would "expand the market more than cannibalize it." But he added that the sportsbooks' shift into prediction markets could raise their costs in what's "an increasingly uncertain and competitive landscape."

• A CEO who invented a light therapy wearable said he trained himself to wake up without an alarm clock.
• Circadian rhythm is the body's internal clock. It shifts based on when you see light, eat. and sleep.
• You can become a morning person and boost your energy all day with simple changes over time.

Branislav Nikolic wakes up every morning at 7 a.m., energized and ready to greet the day, no alarm clock required.

At night, instead of doom-scrolling until 2 a.m., he's peacefully asleep by 11:30 p.m.

It's been his routine for the past decade, thanks to his fascination with circadian rhythm, the body's internal clocks that regulate energy and appetite.

"If you have good circadian health, ultimately you'll have a healthier, happier, and longer life," Nikolic, an entrepreneur and CEO of wearable health tech brand AYO, told Business Insider.

Science backs this up, suggesting that good circadian health helps to boost longevity, improve mood, and potentially fend off chronic illnesses like heart disease and cognitive decline as you age.

To become a morning person and stop hitting the snooze button, he made a few simple changes to his routine, from getting more sunlight to cutting back on nighttime snacking.

Get 30 minutes of natural light during the day

Nikolic wasn't always a morning person. As a graduate student, he struggled with low energy and difficulty waking up. That's in part because the climate in the Netherlands, where he was studying, is cloudy compared to his hometown in sunny Belgrade, Serbia.

He said that using light therapy devices helped his body adjust to the lack of sun and stay on schedule. But you don't need to go high-tech or spend hours outside to hack your health with light.

Opening your curtains and sitting near a window to get morning sunshine can be a big help without disrupting your normal routine, Nikolic said. If you can walk the dog in the morning or stroll in the sun while you sip your coffee, that's a big plus.

And if you're hitting an afternoon slump, try to head outside for a quick walk. Aim for about half an hour of natural light daily at least.

"You'd be surprised that many times people don't even get 30 minutes a day," he said.

Know your chronotype

Understanding your chronotype — the default setting on your internal clock — can make it easier to optimize your routine.

When your body is on a different schedule than your workday, you can end up hitting an afternoon slump or struggling to keep your eyes open during morning meetings, research suggests.

The trick, experts say, is to make sure your internal clock gets the memo about your daily routine, so you're alert when you need to be and relaxed when it's time to sleep.

"It is really about having your circadian rhythm and your lifestyle in sync," Nikolic said.

For instance, if you're a night person who needs to work in the morning, energy-boosting sunlight or early morning walks can help reset your internal clock, Nikolic said.

Keep a consistent bedtime with less light

It might seem like obvious advice, but training your body to wind down around the same time every night is crucial for a healthy circadian rhythm. Some studies suggest that having a consistent sleep schedule is just as important as getting enough hours of sleep.

The challenge is that blue light from screens can prompt your brain to stay alert, even if you're relaxing with "The Great British Baking Show" instead of checking emails.

If you can't banish all electronics from your bedtime routine, Nikolic recommends at least turning down the light or using dark mode whenever possible.

"Try to have a very different light environment two hours before sleep than you had for the rest of the day. So that would be dim in comparison," he said.

Avoid late-night snacking

If your evening routine involves raiding the fridge, you might find it harder to sleep well and feel rested. Eating a late meal cues your body that it's time to digest, instead of preparing you for rest with processes like releasing the sleep hormone melatonin.

Nikolic closes his kitchen about two hours prior to falling asleep, which aligns with evidence-backed studies on circadian health and metabolism.

Use the weekend to check your internal clock

To start breaking up with your alarm clock, wait for a day you don't have a 9 a.m. meeting.

That makes weekends a perfect opportunity to sleep in (for science!) and assess what time your internal clock gets you out of bed.

"Ditch the alarm clock and let your body wake up naturally," Nikolic said.

The caveat is that for best results, you shouldn't change the rest of your routine — no late-night TV or partying just because it's the weekend.

Over time, as you dial in your circadian rhythm, try to get your natural weekend wake-up time closer and closer to your typical weekday schedule.

• December is the perfect time to read a holiday-themed romance book.
• Whether you're looking for a Christmas-inspired book or just a wintry novel, we've got you covered.
• Popular romance authors like Jasmine Guillory and Christina Lauren have holiday books.

There's nothing like cozying up with a soft blanket, a warm cup of tea, and a good book on a cold, winter night.

And, in my opinion, the experience is all the better if that book happens to be a holiday romance novel full of festivity and swooning.

From books centered on Christmas or Hanukkah to novels set on a snowy night, there is no shortage of holiday-inspired romances out there.

Here are some of the best holiday romances you can read this season.

"One Day in December" by Josie Silver

Laurie wasn't expecting to find true love on public transportation, but that's exactly what happens on a blustery day in December when she locks eyes with a man through a bus window. For Laurie, it's love at first sight, but she doesn't get the chance to find out if her mystery man feels the same way before her bus drives away.

She tries in vain to find her true love over the next year, unable to track him down until she sees him again at a party. To her dismay, she discovers that her mystery man, Jack, is actually her best friend Sarah's new boyfriend.

Josie Silver's "One Day in December" spans a decade, following Jack and Rosie as they try to navigate the reality of their relationship and what it could have been. Tender and romantic, it's a great read for fans of "When Harry Met Sally" and "Sleepless in Seattle."

"Royal Holiday" by Jasmine Guillory

Jasmine Guillory always writes swoon-worthy romance, and her festive take on the genre is no exception.

In "Royal Holiday," Vivian Forest is thrilled to go on a trip to the United Kingdom when her daughter, Maddie, gets the opportunity to style a member of the royal family. She thinks she'll spend her vacation sightseeing, but she doesn't anticipate Malcom Hudson, the Queen's private secretary, becoming her personal tour guide.

There's no denying the connection between Vivian and Malcolm, but what will they do when Vivian's holiday comes to an end?

"Royal Holiday" is the fourth installment in Guillory's "Wedding Date" series, but it can also be read as a stand-alone novel.

"Holiday Romance" by Catherine Walsh

Ever since a coincidental seating arrangement their freshman year of college, Molly and Andrew have been flying home from Chicago to Dublin together on Christmas Eve.

For nine years in a row, the pair have traveled side-by-side, forming a friendship in the hours spent crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Even though she doesn't care about Christmas much, Molly knows Andrew loves it, so she has big plans for their 10th trip together, even upgrading them to first-class tickets.

When a snowstorm cancels their flight, there's no way Molly is giving up on getting Andrew home to his family for the holidays. Instead, she leads them on a journey to reach Ireland by Christmas, embracing all forms of transportation to make it happen.

As Molly and Andrew set off on their unexpected journey, they may find that there's more to their connection when they're out of the friendly skies. Catherine Walsh's "Holiday Romance" will speak to fans of Emily Henry's "People We Meet on Vacation," and you can read its sequel, "Snowed In," if you're left wanting more when you finish.

"Kiss Her Once For Me" by Alison Cochrun

"Kiss Her Once For Me" by Alison Cochrun offers a fresh take on a holiday romance and the fake dating trope.

After losing her dream job at an animation studio and getting her heart broken, Ellie Oliver is working at a café, wondering if her life will ever get back on track.

When the coffee shop's landlord, Andrew, asks her to enter into a marriage of convenience to help him obtain his inheritance, Ellie agrees. She hopes that the nontraditional marriage will alleviate her financial problems and help her get her life back on track, even if it took a few too many libations for Andrew to come up with the plan in the first place.

However, when Ellie joins Andrew for his family's holiday celebration, she discovers that his sister is Jack, the woman she fell head over heels for on Christmas Eve one year earlier — and who broke her heart. Will the security Andrew offers lead Ellie to go from fiancée to wife, or will Ellie risk her heart again for another chance with Jack?

"In A Holidaze" by Christina Lauren

Maelyn Jones just had the worst Christmas of her life. After moving in with her parents when her career hit a standstill, Mae had hoped that spending Christmas at a cabin in Utah with her parents' lifelong friends and their kids would bring her happiness, as it does every year.

Instead, Mae drunkenly kisses Theo, her best friend and the brother of the man she's loved as long as she can remember, Andrew. Then, she finds out the cabin is being sold. It feels like everything she had dreamed of, including any shot at a future with Andrew, is disappearing.

Mae leaves the cabin feeling more despondent than ever, but when she's in a car crash on her way out of town, she wakes up to find herself back on a flight to Utah. Christmas hasn't even happened, and Mae has a chance to do everything all over again.

Before she knows it, Mae is trapped in a holiday time loop, reliving Christmas over and over again as new troubles and hijinks ensue. She has to figure out how to get back on track, and being honest about how she feels about Andrew might just be the key to unlocking her future.

"In A Holidaze," Christina Lauren's holiday spin on "Groundhog Day," is a fun, romantic, and festive read.

"Red, White, and Royal Blue" by Casey McQuiston

Casey McQuiston's debut novel isn't technically a holiday book, but it qualifies for this list thanks to an iconic New Year's party scene in the novel.

In "Red, White, and Royal Blue," Alex Claremont-Diaz's life is going great. He's the beloved son of the first female president of the United States, he's killing it at law school, and his political future looks brighter than ever.

Things hit a snag, though, when Alex causes an international incident at a royal wedding with his long-held nemesis, Prince Henry. Alex has hated Henry since the moment they met, but with their public spat causing problems for both his mother and the monarchy, Alex and Henry will have to pretend to be best friends to appease the press.

Alex thinks spending time with Henry will be torturous, but after an intimate moment at a New Year's Eve party, their connection becomes something neither of them ever expected. The unlikely pair falls into a love affair that upends everything Alex thought he knew about himself, but for Alex and Henry, romance has political ramifications. What will they be willing to risk for a chance at true love?

"Lovelight Farms" by B.K. Borison

In B.K. Borison's "Lovelight Farms," Stella Bloom is on a mission to save her beloved Christmas tree farm from going under. She's desperate enough to enter a contest that could land her a $100,000 cash prize.

To make her application more enticing, Stella may have claimed she owns the farm with her boyfriend. And Stella may be in quite a pickle now, considering she doesn't actually have a boyfriend.

Luckily, Stella doesn't have any trouble convincing her best friend, Luka Peters, to be her fake boyfriend. For Luka, a pretend relationship with Stella may lead him to get everything he's always wanted.

"How My Neighbor Stole Christmas" by Meghan Quinn

Meghan Quinn's "How My Neighbor Stole Christmas" offers a romantic twist on Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

Cole King has always hated Christmas, despite everyone else in Kringletown celebrating it to its fullest every year. He's ready to continue bringing down the holiday spirit, until Storee Taylor, his longtime enemy, moves in next door to take care of her Aunt Cindy.

If there's one thing Cole hates more than Christmas, it's Storee, so when she enters the Christmas Kringle contest, he knows he can't let her win. Instead, Cole pretends he's fallen for Storee with some help from his pal Max, and she'll have to enter a fake relationship with him or risk losing the contest before it's even begun.

Despite Cole's intention to annoy Storee, they soon become smitten with each other, and their new challenge will be to keep their true feelings secret from Cindy. Full of Christmas-themed events and nods to the Grinch with some added spice, "How My Neighbor Stole Christmas" is the perfect book for the holiday season.

"Merry Inkmas" by Talia Hibbert

Cash Evans has been lusting after his barista, Bailey Cooper, for months, but he knows his longing is futile. As a broody tattoo artist, he doesn't think he has a chance with someone as kind and smart as Bailey.

Then, a twist of fate makes him Bailey's boss, and Bailey is everywhere. Still, Cash tries to keep a wall between them, but Bailey can't help but notice how dreamy Cash is, from helping people she cares about to giving her a job.

Bailey knows she's drawn to Cash, but she can't figure him out. Will either of them be willing to admit how they really feel?

"Consider Me" by Becka Mack

"Consider Me," the first installment in Becka Mack's "Playing for Keeps" series, is perfect if you're looking for a wintry romance that isn't too focused on the holidays themselves.

Carter Beckett has loved being the NHL's playboy. He's as successful at dating as he is on the rink, but everything changes when he lays eyes on Olivia Parker. Carter knows Olivia is the one as soon as he sees her across a crowded bar, but it's going to take more than a smile for Olivia to believe Carter is ready to give up his bachelor days.

Delightfully corny and sexy, "Consider Me" is a fun entry point into the world of hockey romance.

"The Christmas Fix" by Lucy Score

Cat King is a fixer, as anyone who watches her home renovation reality series knows. She is ready to take on her biggest project to date in Merry, Connecticut, which is reeling after a hurricane tore through the town just weeks before its annual Christmas festival.

Cat is ready to renew the town and save the festival, but there's just one thing in her way: Noah Yates, Merry's town manager, who wants nothing to do with her. Protective of his town and his daughter, Noah is suspicious of Cat and her crew, doing everything he can to keep her at arm's length.

Cat and Noah can't stand each other, but a chance encounter unleashes sexual tension between them that threatens to change everything. Still, they'll have to work together to get Merry ready for the holiday season — and face feelings they have for each other that are much more complicated than hate.

Lucy Score's "The Christmas Fix" is the grumpy-sunshine holiday novel you've been waiting for.

"Cruel Winter With You" by Ali Hazelwood

"Cruel Winter With You" is Ali Hazelwood's contribution to Amazon's 2024 holiday novella collection, "Under the Mistletoe." There are five short romance stories in the collection, and each is simultaneously frosty and spicy.

In "Cruel Winter With You," Jamie Malek is perfectly happy with her life as a pediatrician, even if she's living it without Marc. She broke her best friend's brother's heart, and keeping any lingering feelings she has for him locked up just makes sense.

She sees no flaws in her plan until she needs to borrow a roasting pan from Marc for her Christmas dinner, and a freak snowstorm leaves her trapped with him. As snow falls, old feelings rise to the surface, and Jamie might realize her Christmas wish has been a second chance all along.

"Love You a Latke" by Amanda Elliot

Abby Cohen isn't feeling very festive.

As the only Jewish person in her Vermont community, it has fallen to her to plan a brand-new Hanukkah festival, and she's having trouble getting local vendors to step outside their Christmas-oriented focus to bring her vision to life.

To her dismay, Seth, the most annoying customer at her café, offers the solution to her problem. It turns out he is Jewish too and is happy to help her with the festival — on one condition. He needs Abby to pretend to be his girlfriend when he visits his family in New York City for Hanukkah.

Abby is willing to put up with Seth's persistent optimism for the sake of her festival, but to her surprise, spending the week with Seth makes her see him in a different light.

"Christmas Is All Around" by Martha Waters

If you're looking for the heartwarming feel of a Hallmark movie in a romance novel, "Christmas Is All Around" by Martha Waters might be right up your alley.

It might seem like Charlotte is in London to have fun with her sister for the holidays, but really, she's hiding. Charlotte starred in a beloved Christmas movie as a kid, and the film's devoted fans weren't too pleased when they found out she refused to film a reboot.

Charlotte thinks lying low in London will help, but when she's spotted by a fan checking out holiday decorations at Eden Priory, a location from the film, her cover is blown. Luckily, the property owner's son, Graham, steps in to save the day.

Soon, Charlotte, an animator in her adulthood, agrees to make holiday-themed portraits inspired by the movie to help Eden Priory stay in business, and Graham takes her around the area to bring them to life. As they work together to help the estate, it becomes harder for Charlotte and Graham to deny the sparks flying between them.

"The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" by Ally Carter

For readers who like a side of mystery with their love stories, "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" by Ally Carter is the perfect blend of romantic and suspenseful.

Mystery writer Maggie Chase has hated thriller author Ethan Wyatt almost since the moment they met.

However, she's willing to play nice with him for one night when they both land an invite to an elaborate Christmas party, which turns out to be hosted at an English estate by legendary mystery author Eleanor Ashler.

Her plan goes awry, though, when a snowstorm keeps them at the estate overnight, and they discover in the morning that Eleanor has disappeared from a locked room.

Unsure if Eleanor is truly in danger or if the elusive author has concocted a strange challenge for her party guests, Maggie has no choice but to team up with Ethan to try to unravel the mystery. Working with her nemesis should be a nightmare, but Maggie may discover the line between love and hate is thinner than she imagined.

• The number of billionaires is on the rise — and they are richer than ever.
• The AI-driven stock surge this year has benefited some of the wealthiest billionaires.
• That said, the 196 new self-made billionaires hail from diverse industries.

Artificial intelligence is spawning a new breed — and it's not robots, it's AI billionaires.

The world is now home to 2,919 billionaires — 8.8% more than last year — and they are richer than ever before, according to a new report by Swiss bank UBS.

The bank based its report on surveys of its billionaire clients, as well as its billionaire database with PwC.

Together, their net worth totals $15.8 trillion, up 13% from last year, largely due to the AI-driven surge in tech stocks, including Meta, Oracle, and Nvidia. The Magnificent Seven — a group of high-performing US tech companies — have seen their share prices increase a combined 25% this year.

The wealth of just six US tech billionaires grew by $171 billion, largely tied to their companies' growth in AI. In China, tech billionaires connected to the industry saw their wealth surge.

While the billionaires who got the richest this year — big names like the Alphabet founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang — capitalized on the AI boom, the world's 287 new billionaires had diverse sources of wealth.

About 70% of the new billionaires are self-made. The report highlights bioscience billionaire Ben Lamm, who founded "de-extinction" company Colossal, and brothers Zhang Hongchao and Zhang Hongfu, who founded Chinese fast-food company Mixue Ice Cream & Tea.

The other 91 new billionaires inherited their wealth, including 15 members of two German pharmaceutical families.

That number should grow: Over the next 15 years, $5.9 trillion will be inherited by the children of billionaires, the report predicts.

A nice life for the next-gen, but the cash comes with expectations.

Eighty-two percent of the billionaires with children that UBS surveyed said they want their children to succeed independently, and not rely on their inheritance. No pressure.

• Marc Benioff writes a strategic plan and shares it with the whole company every year.
• He's a few weeks into writing the latest version and shared the playbook so far with Business Insider.
• The most important piece is bolstering Salesforce's AI data foundations.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff is drafting the company's annual strategic plan, and he shared key parts of the vision for next year in an interview with Business Insider.

This annual document is called the V2MOM, which stands for Vision, Values, Methods, Obstacles, and Measurements. It's shared internally at the start of each fiscal year, which begins in February. The document often contains important projections. For instance, Business Insider broke details of Salesforce's 2023 plan to cut costs and boost profit margins, which fueled a massive rally in the stock that year.

More recently, Salesforce has made a huge bet on AI agents with a flagship offering known as Agentforce. Some investors, clients, and employees have cast doubt on the initiative, although the company's earnings on Wednesday revealed some positive signs for the upcoming fiscal year.

The V2MOM document for this upcoming fiscal year will have four main components, Benioff said in an interview following the results.

"The first, most important thing is our data foundation," Benioff said. "None of these agents work without data and context, or you just get all the hallucinations," the term for inaccurate AI outputs.

Salesforce recently bought cloud data management company Informatica for $8 billion. This will be combined with existing Salesforce data platforms, Mulesoft and Data 360, to make customer data "harmonized, federated, and integrated," he said. "That is critical for every customer."

A strong data foundation is even more important for the generative AI era that's sweeping over the software industry right now. To get the most out of this new technology, companies are weaving their internal data with the intelligence of AI models to create new services and explore efficiencies.

Salesforce handles a massive amount of corporate customer data already. Strengthening this part of its business could help the company build more power AI services, including bolstering its Agentforce efforts.

Benioff said the second component of the strategy for next year sits on top of this data foundation. These are applications such as its popular CRM software, along with Slack, and Tableau data-visualization tools.

The third piece is Agentforce itself, Benioff said, though he provided few details about his vision for this in the V2MOM document, beyond saying the AI service has dramatically evolved over the last year.

The fourth piece is the "evolution" of bespoke AI agents that are curated for specific corporate customers such as Williams-Sonoma. This also includes AI agents for employees, such as Salesforce's own Slackbot, which Benioff used liberally to answer questions during the interview with Business Insider.

Salesforce aims to deliver these services by industry, creating versions for automakers, drug companies, and governments, for instance, Benioff explained.

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