The fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit concluded on Sunday, with UAE officials highlighting the country’s growing role in the global content economy. Organized by the UAE Government Media Office, the summit took place from January 9 to 11 across Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Museum of the Future under the theme “Content for Good.”

The program featured more than 580 keynotes, panel discussions, roundtables, and workshops, and hosted over 500 international speakers and experts whose combined social media following exceeds 3.5 billion.

Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, said the summit reflects the UAE’s position as an international hub for digital content creation.

Discussions throughout the event focused on two main priorities: empowering content creators to drive positive social impact and using artificial intelligence to enhance creative and production capabilities.

During the summit, organizers announced strategic partnerships with major digital platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, X, and Meta, aimed at promoting responsible and positive online content.

In collaboration with global content creator MrBeast, the summit launched the 1 Billion Acts of Kindness campaign, encouraging creators to implement and share community-focused initiatives. Organizers reported that the campaign generated more than 170,000 acts of kindness and garnered over 100 million views within three weeks.

The summit also selected 20 international content creators to undertake humanitarian projects in Ghana, supported by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and the Varkey Foundation.

Awards were a key highlight of the event. The inaugural AI Film Award, launched in partnership with Google Gemini, presented its $1 million top prize to filmmaker Zoubeir Jlassi for his film Lily.

The Educator Award, introduced in collaboration with TikTok, drew 610,000 participants and resulted in 320,000 videos, which collectively garnered 1.8 billion views. Matt Green won first place, receiving a $100,000 cash prize.

The fifth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit is scheduled to take place in January 2027 under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai. Organizers said the next edition will focus on emerging global trends in content creation and continue efforts to strengthen the UAE’s position in digital media and the content economy.