1 Billion Followers Summit labelled as 'largest gathering for content creators'

Saeed Al Eter, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Projects and Chairman of the UAE Government Media Office, has affirmed that the 1 Billion Followers Summit has, in four years, evolved into "the world's largest gathering for content creators," the event kicking off on January 9.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,  the fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit will be held at the Emirates Towers, DIFC and the Museum of the Future in Dubai under the theme ‘Content for Good’.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Creators HQ in Emirates Towers with Alia AlHammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and CEO of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, Al Eter noted that this specialised summit is part of the UAE's vibrant media ecosystem, which is designed to realise the leadership's vision of positioning the UAE as a global media capital.

The press conference outlined details of the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 agenda, updates to the fourth edition, as well as key events taking place during the global gathering.

Saeed Al Eter highlighted that the speakers at the summit have totaled 3.5 billion followers in the 4th edition, stating that their "mission is to harness the positive impact of content creators across all sectors.”

He added that the upcoming edition will focus on two pillars, the first shifting from content creation into impact creation through its collaboration with TikTok, which recognises the best educational content creators. He added that the initiative "has attracted 610,000 participants creating 320,000 educational videos that have collectively amassed 1.8 billion views on the platform.”

He added that the summit also launched 5 strategic partnerships with YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, X and Meta to support impactful content.

Under this pillar, Al Eter noted that the 1 Billion Followers Summit and MrBeast, the world's most-followed YouTuber, also launched the 1 Billion Acts of Kindness campaign, inviting every content creator to perform an act of kindness.

The top 10 creators will be selected to work on a humanitarian project with the support of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) and the Varkey Foundation.

Al Eter highlighted the remarkable results of the campaign, which inspired over 170,000 acts of kindness that garnered over 100 million views in 3 weeks.

He added that the second pillar focuses on integrating AI tools into content creation, highlighting AI's power to reshape the industry and spark profound, far-reaching changes.

This was developed through the partnership with Google Gemini in launching an AI Film Award with a grand prize of $1 million, which Al Eter reveals has "already established itself as a landmark initiative, attracting over 30,000 participants from 116 countries and culminating in five films being shortlisted for the final stage.”

The Summit will also host over 500 speakers, specialising in areas of the creator economy and new media technology, including over 150 CEOs and global experts.

It also features 400 keynote sessions, roundtables, fireside chats, workshops and debates across three main tracks: Economy, Content and Technology.