The 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest summit devoted to the creators economic system as concluded its preparatory conferences defining the agenda and actions for its fourth version. The summit, organised by the UAE Authorities Media Workplace, reinforces the UAE’s place as a worldwide hub for optimistic content material creation and development within the digital economic system.
The Summit has introduced the launch of the world’s largest prize for AI-generated movies, valued at US$1 million, along with a variety of initiatives and a packed agenda that includes a roster of audio system with a mixed following of over 3 billion followers.
The fourth version of the 1 Billion Followers Summit can be held beneath the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, from ninth to eleventh January 2026 in Dubai, throughout Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai Worldwide Monetary Centre, and the Museum of the Future, beneath the theme “Content material for Good.”
Spanning 5 days of interactive discussions, the preparatory conferences introduced collectively CEOs of main social media platforms, trade consultants, and digital media corporations, alongside a few of the world’s most outstanding content material creators and entrepreneurs.
Members explored methods to reinforce the summit’s media presence, methods for storytelling and purposeful content material creation, and mentioned technological tendencies, shifts within the creators economic system, mental property instruments, synthetic intelligence, and strategies of combating misinformation.
The conferences coated a variety of matters associated to the way forward for content material creation, rising trade tendencies, innovation instruments, and strategies of making and selling content material.
They featured interactive debates on monetisation methods, the long run route of social media platforms, constructing cross-border partnerships between content material creators and artistic corporations, holding tempo with the fast transformations in digital media, and increasing collaboration networks amongst content material creators, platforms, startups, and main know-how companies to discover alternatives for growing new instruments that assist helpful content material creation and open new horizons for the content material economic system regionally and globally.
Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cupboard Affairs, affirmed that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has supported and nurtured the media and content material creation sector all through his 30 years of management and growth.
He acknowledged, “The content material economic system is an financial energy with limitless horizons. At the moment, the UAE will not be solely holding tempo with its developments however can be main and charting new instructions inside that economic system,” reiterating that the launch of the world’s largest prize for AI-generated movies in partnership with Google Gemini positively reinforces the UAE’s function within the content material economic system.
In the course of the preparatory conferences, the Summit introduced the launch of the world’s largest prize for AI-generated movies, valued at US$1 million, in collaboration with Google Gemini. The profitable movie can be honored, and the highest 10 competing movies can be showcased throughout the fourth version of the summit.
The Summit goals to assist and encourage the manufacturing of purposeful movies utilizing various AI instruments, increase consciousness of the humanitarian messages such movies ought to convey, and improve artistic capabilities, aesthetic imaginative and prescient, and superior expertise in integrating AI into movie manufacturing. Quick movies, now some of the widespread and efficient mediums for delivering significant and impactful messages to audiences, can be central to this initiative.
The prize requires that the movie be totally generated utilizing AI, with creativity and realism as important standards. The judging course of can be primarily based on storytelling, creativity, integration of AI, execution, and alignment with the theme in delivering a humanitarian message. Extra particulars can be shared throughout September, to kick-off the launch of the competitors.
The agenda of the fourth version contains a vital enlargement in interactive periods and worldwide partnerships, providing larger alternatives for content material creators to innovate helpful and impactful works. This aligns with the UAE’s mission to empower creators by offering an enabling surroundings that enables them to develop and increase globally.
The Summit additionally serves as a key platform to speed up international artistic transformation by bringing collectively innovators from all over the world, enhancing cross-border partnerships, creating areas for experimentation and innovation, and supporting startups.
In the course of the preparatory conferences, it was additionally introduced that AED50 million has been allotted for Creators Ventures Programmeme. The initiative goals to assist artistic content material creators by funding modern initiatives with international cultural and financial affect. It would present grants for initiatives with optimistic social affect, in addition to funding for joint ventures to ascertain corporations led by content material creators or artistic tech builders.
The programme additionally affords assist for accelerator initiatives that host the subsequent technology of artistic entrepreneurs worldwide, equipping them with funding, mentorship, and instruments to increase and take their initiatives international.
As a part of the second version of the Creators Ventures Programme, the conferences launched the Content material Creators Accelerator Programme, organised and supported by Creators HQ in collaboration with 500 International.
An allocation of as much as AED50 million has been devoted to the programme, by which particular person content material creators and content material corporations can be incubated to compete for assist. Finalists within the Creators Ventures Programme will obtain monetary backing and funding for his or her initiatives.
The Creators Ventures Programme seeks to offer funding and assist to startups and people presenting pioneering concepts in content material creation, enabling them to showcase their initiatives earlier than a judging panel comprised of main traders and corporations that can sponsor and put money into the chosen concepts.
The Summit additional introduced the launch of a devoted Content material Creation Corporations Pavilion for the primary time since its inception. This step represents a milestone in advancing the content material economic system and empowering younger creatives to attract inspiration from the profitable experiences of outstanding content material creators in constructing their very own corporations.
The brand new pavilion is greater than only a show area for concepts and insights; it represents a considerable contribution by the fourth version to advancing the content material economic system to new horizons. It additionally supplies rising creators with the chance to study from the achievements of world content material creators to develop their attain and revenues.
The pavilion will characteristic startups working throughout the content material economic system, offering a singular platform for these corporations to showcase their concepts and choices, safe offers, and set up a presence within the UAE. It would host round 100 SMEs, together with startups based by content material creators who efficiently transitioned into entrepreneurship.
By means of 10 show platforms, the pavilion will supply content material creators and entrepreneurial content material creators ample area to current their concepts and experiences, inspiring rising creators and startups to strengthen their presence in content material creation. By dedicating one platform to every entrepreneur, the pavilion will foster collaboration and networking alternatives for these coming into this promising sector.
The Summit additionally introduced the adoption of the second version of the Creators Ventures Programme, organised and supported by Creators HQ, in collaboration with 500 International. The programme goals to draw international expertise, encourage startups worldwide to relocate their headquarters to the UAE, and reinforce the nation’s function as a worldwide hub for creating content material for good.
The programme seeks to offer funding and assist to startups and people presenting pioneering content material concepts, which can be pitched to a jury of prime traders and corporations for sponsorship and funding.
By bringing collectively startups, content material creators and main traders, the programme facilitates discussions round challenge concepts, permits candidates to current on to the jury, and explores the potential for market success in addition to necessities for assist and funding.
The Summit additionally introduced the appointment of 5 new ambassadors for its fourth version, specifically Simon Squibb, Alexandra Mary Hirschi, Khalid Al Ameri, Omar Farooq and Ammar Kandil.
Simon Squibb is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and one of many most-followed enterprise creators on-line. Having based and invested in over 100 corporations, Simon now dedicates his time to serving to individuals begin companies at no cost.
By means of his content material, he shares recommendation, mentorship, and alternatives to encourage the subsequent technology of entrepreneurs. He’s additionally the founding father of HelpBnk, a platform constructed to assist aspiring founders and democratise entry to entrepreneurship.
Alexandra Mary Hirschi, the Australian content material creator often called “Supercar Blondie” – the nickname of the Australia-born media persona primarily based within the UAE the place she started her journey and constructed a worldwide presence of over 100 million followers throughout platforms. Her story embodies the UAE’s potential to function a launchpad for digital skills reaching the world. It’s a story of transformation from a easy journalist right into a content material empire managing a worldwide staff.
Khalid Al Ameri is a content material creator, author, and speaker from the UAE, identified for his heartfelt movies on tradition, relationships, and social points within the Arab world. By means of his relatable storytelling and cross-cultural content material, he has constructed a robust on-line presence and impressed hundreds of thousands globally.
Omar Farooq, Bahraini content material creator, extensively recognised throughout the Arab world for his video collection “Omar Tries”, which explores cultural and humanitarian experiences. His YouTube channel has garnered over 1.2 billion views and greater than 6.7 million subscribers.
Ammar Kandil, the co-founder of Sure Concept, a motion and media firm constructed round searching for discomfort and residing life outdoors of 1’s consolation zone. By means of highly effective storytelling, international adventures, and community-building, Ammar and his staff have impressed hundreds of thousands to embrace curiosity, braveness, and significant human connection. He continues to push boundaries by main artistic initiatives that unite various communities all over the world.
The Summit introduced its checklist of major companions for the fourth version, which incorporates: SEE Holding (the developer of Dubai Sustainable Metropolis) , Emirates (official airline designation), MBC Group, Sony, and Dubai Chamber of Digital Financial system.
Different companions embody: Museum of the Future, Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Worldwide Monetary Centre (DIFC), Dinner within the Sky, Rode, and Expertise Plus.
Main digital platforms collaborating embody: Google, Meta, Instagram, YouTube, X, TikTok, and Snapchat.
The fourth version of the 1 Billion Followers Summit builds on the worldwide momentum of the third version in January 2025, which attracted greater than 15,000 creators, 420 audio system, and 125 main CEOs and international consultants. The summit recorded over 30,000 in-person attendees, 1.5 billion digital interactions, and 542 million views on social media platforms.
The third version additionally witnessed large engagement from hundreds of thousands of followers worldwide, with the official hashtag #1BillionSummit trending among the many most-followed hashtags globally.