Google avoided (yet another) breakup… now comes the test of the ad tech remedies

September 10, 2026 The focus now moves from ownership to conduct. Google will retain its ad exchange, popularly known as AdX, and DFP but the final judgment will restrict how those businesses operate and interact with publishers and competing ad tech companies. However, Google must accept most of the behavioral restrictions proposed in the case, although the judge has modified some of them. Google keeps the businesses, but rules will govern what it can and cannot do with them. Advertisement TOP STORY Google on Trial Google avoided (yet another) breakup... now comes the test of the ad tech remedies Here’s how Google’s GAM might look after the next 30 days, following the closing stages of its marathon antitrust trial. OTHER THINGS TO KNOW Your last chance to save on Digiday Media Awards entries is Sept. 25. Showcase the innovative companies, campaigns and teams modernizing digital media, and join past honorees including The New York Times, People Inc. and PopSugar. Gain recognition for the work moving the industry forward. Join this webinar on Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. ET to learn how the New York Post, Sports Illustrated and Tastemade use first-party data to build sustainable revenue streams across channels. Partner insights from TripleLift. While television, film, music and other industries’ liveness has been significantly devalued by on-demand content, instant developments remain of paramount importance to sports fans. Partner insights from Sportradar. THE BUSINESS OF AI The Business of AI AI reshapes agency economics, but their contracts are still scrambling to catch up AI is changing agency work. Agencies are adding provisions to existing contracts instead of rewriting their MSAs. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM TRIPLELIFT Webinar: How brands like the New York Post extend reach with first-party data Join this webinar on Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. to learn how Sports Illustrated, the New York Post and Tastemade use first-party data to protect margins, extend off-platform reach, and connect insights to outcomes. A MESSAGE FROM AFFINITY How AI is reshaping media planning and what it means for measurement AI is changing how media gets planned, but measuring its impact hasn’t caught up — yet.    A recent panel hosted by Affinity Global and Digiday, featuring expert voices from Affinity, M+C Saatchi Performance, Omnicom Media and Razorfish, dug into what’s really shifting in advertising because of AI: smarter briefs, emerging standards like Ad Context Protocol, and inventory that’s finally accessible outside traditional programmatic buying and walled gardens.   So, what does that mean for brands and advertisers, especially when it comes to incrementality? It means getting real insight into what’s actually working — and where AI is changing the equation for marketers. Watch the panel MODERN RETAIL Retail Media Rewritten Instacart launches custom AI assistants for retailers Retail giants like Walmart, Kroger and Amazon have launched AI assistants allowing consumers to ask for recommendations or curated shopping lists. Now, Instacart has made it easier for other retailers such as regional grocers to follow in their footsteps. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM NEXXEN Where CTV’s performance opportunity becomes clearest CTV’s value lies in its ability to target audiences more precisely, test across more inventory and evaluate performance with the same discipline marketers expect from digital channels. Advertisement PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM CONTENTFUL How teams are embracing AI without losing the human touch While AI is changing how work gets done, it’s not changing who does it just yet. The focus now is shifting from finding the perfect tech stack to prioritizing AI that works alongside marketers. DIGIDAY + Member exclusive Media Briefing: Publishers are rebuilding their newsrooms for the post-Google era Publishers like USA Today Co. and NYT are reshaping audience teams and creating new roles to prepare for an AI search future. ICYMI The Creator Economy What’s in and out for creators heading into Q4 A look at the creator economy trends heading in to Q4 2026, from clipping to creators in the C-suite, diversification and regulation. The Creator Economy WTF is a ghost creator? Some companies are hiring creators not for their audience, but as a mouthpiece for a very specific brief. Think execution, not creativity. This is the ghost creator. 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