Under the esteemed patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, the fourth edition of the Billion Followers Summit is set to launch from January 9 to 11, 2026 in Dubai. The summit will spotlight the global content creation economy, hosting over 500 international speakers, 125 CEOs, and experts, and presenting more than 584 workshops to a global audience expected to surpass 30,000 participants.
Global Platform for Content Leaders
Announced during a press conference, Saeed Al Eter, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Projects and Chairman of the UAE Government Media Office, emphasized the summit’s global significance. He described it as a pivotal platform for content creators and media professionals, reflecting the rapid transformation of the content economy and its growing influence on societies and markets worldwide.
According to projections, the global content creation economy is expected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2033, indicating the sector’s substantial growth and evolving potential.
Strategic Vision and Sector Growth
The summit aligns with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, may God protect him, to empower media professionals and strengthen the content industry. Al Eter noted that the summit has seen remarkable growth in engagement and reach, particularly in an era where more than 200 million content creators are active across the globe, making it one of the fastest-growing industries today.
Empowering Creators as Global Brands
Al Eter highlighted the summit’s role in offering valuable educational and investment opportunities for creators. With creators increasingly viewed as standalone brands, the summit will tackle key topics on how to amplify their impact and turn digital influence into long-term social and human value.
New Initiatives and Strategic Partnerships
The summit will also witness the launch of new global initiatives in collaboration with major platforms. One of the standout announcements includes the Educational Content Creation Award launched in partnership with TikTok, which attracted over 600,000 participants, resulted in 320,000+ videos, and achieved over 1.8 billion views.
Additionally, the summit has formed five strategic global partnerships with major digital platforms: YouTube, Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and Google, bringing these digital giants together in Dubai to engage directly with content creators.
Humanitarian Impact Through Content
In a bid to amplify the humanitarian side of content creation, Al Eter announced the launch of the largest global social movement in partnership with world-renowned creator MrBeast. The initiative encourages creators to take part in humanitarian and community projects. In just three weeks, over 170,000 humanitarian acts were recorded, generating over 100 million views.
AI and the Future of Content
Al Eter also shared impressive economic indicators, including the $250 billion spent on AI tools across social platforms. This reflects the growing role of advanced technology in reshaping the content industry and its economic frameworks.
To align with this trend, the summit has launched the AI Film Award, attracting over 30,000 entries from 116 countries. The competition aims to explore creative and responsible uses of AI in content production, opening new doors for creators to deliver innovative, meaningful, and impactful content.
