Inside the brand and agency scramble for first-party data in the AI era

January 09, 2026 Even with Google's U-turn to keep third-party cookies in Chrome, the race for first-party data hasn't slowed. Brand clients are asking that first-party and other data signals be shared with cloud environments so they can be managed by themselves. One source estimated that those requests hovered around five for the entirety of 2024 and then skyrocketed to 10 per month in 2025. TOP STORY Life Beyond the Cookie Inside the brand and agency scramble for first-party data in the AI era Brands are moving faster to own first-party data as AI and privacy changes alter the digital advertising landscape. OTHER THINGS TO KNOW The era of traditional search is changing. AI is reshaping how consumers discover brands online. As a result, businesses are rethinking every element of their digital strategy, including domain names. Partner insights from name.com. It’s not clear what form zero-click search will take in the future — how artificial intelligence may continue to reshape the media ecosystem. Still, there’s reason to be confident that curation is part of the solution. Partner insights from Nexxen. Because 90% of CTV impressions come from just 10 publishers, brands that rely on programmatic advertising may miss out on reaching broader audiences. Publisher-direct buys provide the reach and relevance that programmatic alone can't guarantee. Partner insights from Tatari. Advertisement MEDIA & PLATFORMS Generative AI Future starts to sharpen its AI search visibility playbook Future is boosting AI search citations and mentions with a tool called Future Optic, and offering the product to branded content clients. The Creator Economy Digiday's extensive guide to what's in and out for creators in 2026 With AI-generated content flooding social media platforms, embracing the messiness and imperfection of being human will help creators stand out in the spreading sea of slapdash slop.  PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM INTENTIQ How brands and publishers are building more transparent and measurable identity strategies According to a new Digiday and IntentIQ survey, only 21% of respondents reported being "very confident" about their ability to accurately identify and reach their target audiences across digital channels. Retail Media Rewritten Walmart Connect takes a play out of the Amazon playbook to make agentic AI the next battleground in retail media The next retail media war is between Walmart Connect’s Sparky and Amazon’s Rufus, driven by agentic AI and first-party data. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM PADSQUAD How marketers are recentering ad quality and relevance 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. Advertisement ICYMI Evolving Agencies 'This is what the future will look like': Accenture Song has moved upstream of advertising Accenture Song has outgrown the agency business without becoming an agency. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM KEEN DECISION SYSTEMS How agencies use data to strengthen media plans The modern marketing environment calls for quick thinking and data-driven decisions, so agencies need plans rooted in outcomes, not impressions. The Creator Economy As more creators expand to episodic content, studios want to repurpose and syndicate their shows Thanks to a variety of revenue streams, be it a product line or brand sponsorships, creators can supplement the ad revenue they generate from posting content to social media platforms. DIGIDAY+ Member exclusive Future of Marketing Briefing: The ad business arrived at CES in a holding pattern Behind the stage demos and glossy AI announcements, the advertising industry arrived in Las Vegas with a quieter set of questions than previous years. Written by Jim Cooper and Sara Jerde Were you forwarded this email? Sign up to get it daily. Advertise | Digiday+ | Events | Awards Update your email | Unsubscribe | Privacy policy