1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 set in Dubai with 15,000 creators and global platforms
This three-day conference held under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is organized by the UAE Government Media Office and will be held across Emirates Towers, DIFC and the Museum of the Future under the theme Content for Good.
Saeed Al Eter, Deputy Minister of Affairs of the Cabinet of Strategic Plans and Chairman of the UAE Government Information Office, said the conference has grown rapidly since its launch, evolving into what he described as “the world’s largest gathering of content creators.”
1 Billion Fans Summit 2026
He was speaking at a press conference held at Creators HQ in Emirates Towers, attended by Alia AlHammadi, Deputy Chairman of the UAE Government Media Office and CEO of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, as well as representatives from major global social networks and local, regional and international media organizations.
Al Eter said: “In its first edition, the speakers at the conference reached 1 billion, a number that increased significantly to 3.5 billion followers in the 4th edition. It is a fact of our time that the content is the cause of the media.
“With the 1 Million Fans Summit, our goal is to leverage the positive impact of content creators across all sectors”.
Al Eter said the upcoming program will focus on two main pillars, the first of which is to move from content creation to impact creation.
He said: “Part of this effort is our collaboration with TikTok on an education-focused program designed to promote educational content and recognize the best educational creators. The program has attracted 610,000 participants who have created 320,000 educational videos that have garnered 1.8 billion views on the platform.”
Content creators in UAE
He added that the conference presented five cooperation strategies with YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, X and Meta to support influential content.
The agenda includes more than 580 sessions and content-focused workshops, with more than 500 speakers covering topics ranging from financial literacy and education to health and business.
Under this pillar, the conference and MrBeast launched the 1 Billion Acts of Kindness campaign. Al Eter said the initiative has already inspired more than 170,000 acts of kindness, generating more than 100 million views in three weeks.
“Our goal is to change the perception of content creators, empowering them to make a meaningful impact on their communities. We want to be a positive force in the content space, supporting creators who produce things that benefit both communities and nations,” he said.
AI, film and the future of media
The second pillar focuses on integrating artificial intelligence into content creation. Al Eter said: “To lead this effort, the 1 Billion Followers Summit, in partnership with Google Gemini, launched the AI Film Award with a grand prize of $1m.
The award has already been established as a historic initiative, attracting more than 30,000 participants from 116 countries and concluding with five films shortlisted for the final category.”
He added: “The 1 Billion Followers Summit is committed to driving significant changes in new media by supporting content creators. The world is changing rapidly, content, media, and cinema are developing at a rapid pace. If we are not at the heart of this outbreak, we risk being left behind. Our goal is to actively shape this industry.”
Alia AlHammadi said the conference serves as a testing ground for new media trends worldwide and plays an important role in awakening talent, accelerating technology adoption and expanding funding opportunities across the creative economy.
“In its fourth edition, the 1 Billion Followers Summit is writing a new chapter of global success in the heart of the UAE, moving forward with a clear vision to strengthen the country’s status as a global hub for the creative economy,” he said.
Earth impact
The conference will host more than 15,000 creators and influencers from the Arab world and beyond, as well as more than 500 speakers, including more than 150 CEOs and global experts.
Top speakers include:
- Will Smith
- MrBeast
- Lara Trump
- Max Amini
- Simon Squibb
- Mohamed Alabbar
The event has 400 key sessions, workshops, round tables and debates across three tracks: Economy, Content and Technology. It will also announce the winners of several major programs.
These include the Creators Ventures Accelerator, organized by Creators HQ in partnership with 500 Global, which offers up to AED50m ($13.6m) in funding to winning pitches.
The program received 1,131 applications from over 70 countries.
On the final day, the conference will also reveal the winner of the world’s largest AI Film Award, worth $1m, and the winners of the 1 Billion Acts of Kindness campaign, supported by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and the Varkey Foundation.
