February 2, 2026 | SIGN UP

Sara Jerde
DIGIDAY, MANAGING EDITOR

The explainer book on this might be titled Coding for Dummies. Instead, our WTF explainer breaks down the latest phenomenon (vibe coding) — and what that means for creators.

In other news:

The puny nature of regulatory fines compared to Big Tech’s financial prowess
What changes — and doesn’t — for publishers under Google’s forced AI opt out
ChatGPT ads are coming – where do publishers fit?
How publishers are approaching AI in 2026

Top stories

GENERATIVE AI

WTF is vibe coding?

Vibe coding is an increasingly popular way of writing code using plain-language prompts that creators are leveraging to build apps, websites, and more.

DATA REGULATION

In Graphic Detail: The puny nature of regulatory fines compared to Big Tech’s financial prowess

Big Tech could pay off over $7 billion in 2025 fines in less than one month, demonstrating the disparity between regulatory bite and corporate wealth.

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM PADSQUAD

Recentering ad quality and relevance in a precision-driven industry

Many ad experiences are built without input from audience behavior, real-time performance or contextual signals. While these experiences may align with a brand platform, they’re not always designed to resonate with the people who see them. When the goal is relevance, it requires planning creative structures that adapt to different audiences, mindsets and contexts.

ZERO-CLICK FUTURE

Google’s forced AI opt out: what changes — and what doesn’t — for publishers

Publishers want the Competition Markets Authority to impose harder structural remedies on Google regarding its AI crawler vs. behavioral ones.

A MESSAGE FROM ACTIVISION BLIZZARD MEDIA

Gaming’s relevancy is established — now brands are pushing it as a marketing solution

Gaming is no longer a specialty channel. It’s a mass-reaching media environment shaped by audience choice, cross-platform fluidity and measurable business outcomes. The focus has now shifted to framing gaming as a solution to core marketing challenges.

See how it works

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Media Briefing: ‘A bitter pill’: ChatGPT ads are coming – where do publishers fit?

ChatGPT ads are coming, and publishers fear they’ll be underwriting OpenAI’s ad business while losing control over distribution and dollars.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Digiday+ Research: How publishers from Dow Jones and Business Insider to People Inc. are approaching AI in 2026

Publishers continuously assess how to use AI without compromising editorial standards. Here's how they're doing it.

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM ZETA GLOBAL

Sustained revenue growth lies in maintaining a thriving community base

By forming a community around an existing subscriber base, publishers capitalize on an engaged audience. Encouraging participation among like-minded people helps further foster a sense of community — the more readers engage with content, the more publishers can monetize that activity.

Other things to know

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM NEXXEN

What advertisers can learn from the 2026 World Cup

For advertisers, the challenge that comes with TV is not whether people will watch. It is where they watch, how they move between platforms and how quickly plans need to adapt.