By Staff Reporter
The fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit concluded in Dubai after three days of high-level discussions and activities, marking its most impactful edition to date and reinforcing the UAE’s growing influence in the global content creation economy.
Organised by the UAE Government Media Office, the summit ran from January 9 to 11 across key venues including Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Museum of the Future. Held under the theme “Content for Good,” the event brought together content creators, digital platforms, policymakers and industry leaders to examine how digital media can generate positive social and economic change.
More than 30,000 people attended the summit, among them over 15,000 content creators and influencers. The official summit hashtag ranked among the most followed globally, generating millions of views and interactions across social media platforms. In total, the programme featured over 580 sessions led by more than 500 international speakers whose combined online following exceeds 3.5 billion.
Minister of UAE Cabinet Affairs Mohammad Al Gergawi said the summit represented a major step forward in positioning the UAE as a global hub for the content economy. He emphasised the importance of promoting responsible and meaningful digital content, noting that artificial intelligence featured prominently throughout the discussions as a tool to help creators expand their reach and impact.
One of the standout moments of the summit was the launch of the AI Film Award, introduced in partnership with Google Gemini. The competition awarded a $1 million grand prize to filmmaker Zoubeir Jlassi for his film Lily, selected from more than 30,000 submissions representing 116 countries.
The summit also unveiled new strategic partnerships with leading global platforms and announced initiatives focused on education, humanitarian efforts and community engagement. Building on the success of this edition, organisers confirmed that the fifth 1 Billion Followers Summit will be held from January 8 to 10, 2027, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Source: Emirates News Agency
