Digiday Daily

January 15, 2026

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Google’s testimony to U.K. lawmakers this week did more than restate familiar arguments about fair use and training. It clarified the boundaries of what the company believes it should, and should not, pay publishers for in the AI-driven search ecosystem.

TOP STORY

The Rundown: Google has drawn its AI payment lines — and publishers’ leverage is narrow

For publishers trying to navigate AI licensing, the message was blunt: Google is willing to pay for access, but not for training – and it remains unwilling to define AI Overviews as a compensable use of journalism.

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW

Even many of the most successful challenger brands are stuck with siloed data and rented identity, lacking the 360-degree customer view they want. Partner insights from Adstra.
As AI evolves from automation to autonomy, marketers are rethinking how campaigns run and how marketing organizations operate. Virgin Money is using AI-driven audience optimization so its agency team can focus on strategic tasks — all while reaping the rewards of improved performance as noted by its agency partner, mFuse. Partner insights from Quantcast.
Now that campaigns can accommodate mid-flight changes — adjusting visual sequences, calls to action or tone based on audience engagement — advertisers can treat creative as a dynamic asset, not a fixed deliverable. Partner insights from PadSquad.

MEDIA & PLATFORMS

The Programmatic Marketer

‘We don’t care if you don’t use our UX anymore’: Yahoo recasts its DSP as a data backbone for the agentic world

Because the real wager, according to the ad tech vendor, sits below the interface, in the identity graph and data the DSP plugs into.

Brands in Culture

How The North Face, Vans and Timberland are trying to transform their businesses in 2026

At the National Retail Federation Big Show this week, leaders from The North Face, Vans and Timberland shared how each of their brands is looking to grow this year.

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM BLOCKBOARD

Ad fraud and waste threaten performance, especially at the local level

According to the Association of National Marketers, buyers still incur $26.8 billion in wasteful spending in their programmatic media buying alone. This waste has an even larger impact on small and mid-sized advertisers, i.e., local advertisers, who have tighter budgets and fewer resources.

Modern Retail

How apparel brands aim to win the spotlight at the Winter Olympics

As the clock ticks down to Milan-Cortina 2026, companies are putting out products for athletes and consumers alike.

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM BROWSI

Ad signals that tell the full story of impact

For years, advertisers have focused on whether ads are viewable and human when assessing their impact. But five signals help tell a fuller story.

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