May 5, 2026  |  SIGN UP

 
Sara Jerde

Sara Jerde
DIGIDAY, MANAGING EDITOR

As is the case when a new technology takes off, there is a new group looking to profit from the growth. For some publishers, it’s a more meaningful amount than the ad tech tax they’ve spent years navigating.

The creator economy, full of personalities-as-brands-and-quasi-publishers are taking the same stance. Adobe, for one, is trying to win them over with new features and tools.

For publishers, Taboola is stepping up (or trying to?) with a new AI search function. USA Today, for one, is seeing some meaningful revenue from its AI licensing deals.

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Top stories

 
 

AI REVENUE GENERATION

From ad tech tax to AI data brokers: the new middlemen keep 100%, publishers say

For some publishers, third-party content scraping lands as an even bigger affront than the ad tech tax they’ve spent years navigating — not a share of the pie, but the pie itself.

AI REVENUE GENERATION

The state of generative AI in the creator economy

A look at how the creator economy is using generative AI, from workflow help to identifying partnerships in DMs.

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM GOOGLE AD MANAGER

How publishers are delivering ads to millions, seamlessly and simultaneously

The core difference between a live stream and a VOD is the sheer simultaneous volume of ad requests. Success hinges on a globally distributed architecture, where decisions and delivery occur closest to the user to minimize latency.

AI REVENUE GENERATION

Adobe relies on Firefly to win over creators

Adobe wants Firefly to do for AI-native creators what Photoshop did for a generation of ad creatives – become the tool they can't work without.

A MESSAGE FROM NEXXEN

How native CTV is solving the channel’s attention problem

While in-stream remains highly effective for storytelling and scale within premium content environments, native formats can engage audiences at the exact moment of decision, when viewers are actively choosing what to watch.

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AI REVENUE GENERATION

Taboola’s next act: an AI answer engine for publishers

HuffPost UK, Reach and USA Today Co. are rolling out Taboola's AI-powered answer engine to boost engagement.

AI REVENUE GENERATION

USA Today Co.’s AI licensing deals drive 'notable' revenue in Q1, despite pressure on traffic and programmatic

USA Today Co.’s AI licensing deals helped drive meaningful year-over-year revenue growth in Q1, despite pressure on traffic and programmatic.

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM OPTABLE

Why publishers can’t afford to wait on agentic AI

The agentic era is here. But the nearly one-third of publishers who lack immediate investment plans risk falling behind.

 

Other things to know

 
 

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM KEEN DECISION SYSTEMS 

How marketing teams are making more confident decisions

According to research from Keen Decision Systems, only 10% of marketers incorporate prior knowledge into their forecasts, an indication that most start from scratch every time.

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM PATHLABS

How independent agencies are scaling in the age of AI