Today's Edition
DUBAI (ALETIHAD)
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026, the world’s largest event dedicated to shaping the content creator economy, will kick tomorrow.
The 3-day Summit is organised by the UAE Government Media Office, and hosted in the UAE at the Emirates Towers, DIFC and the Museum of the Future in Dubai under the theme ‘Content for Good’.
Building on its growing momentum, the Summit’s fourth edition is expecting attendance to exceed 30,000, with the participation of over 15,000 top Arab and global creators and influencers.
The Summit will also host over 500 speakers, with a combined audience of 3.5 billion followers, and over 150 CEOs and global experts in its various sessions and dialogues. This largest interactive gathering provides a crucial platform for sharing expertise, tackling industry challenges, and collectively shaping the future of digital media.
The 1 Billion Followers Summit features over 580 keynote sessions, roundtables, fireside chats, workshops and debates across three main tracks: Economy, Content and Technology.
These tracks will convene experts from top global and regional technology and digital and social media firms, and a host of the world's most influential content creators.
Together, they will share insights about the latest digital media trends and best practices, highlighting the latest in business, economy, investment and content creation.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, highlighted that the 1 Billion Followers Summit underscores the UAE's status as a hub for the content industry, unlocking new horizons of creativity and growth, and has successfully redefined the role of digital media in serving communities over the last four years, guided by its ‘Content for Good’ theme.
He emphasised that the Summit has underscored the UAE's leading status as a global media hub, fostering a creative ecosystem to attract, launch, and scale innovative and visionary ventures in the sector.
Al Gergawi said, “The Summit's remarkable ability to draw such a large audience of content creators, global influencers, platforms, and major firms is a testament to the UAE's position as the premier destination for the industry's innovators and key players. Here, they can collaborate in an environment that unlocks new horizons for investment, development, and creativity across the media and creative industries. We are dedicated to ensuring that each edition of this global event culminates in impactful initiatives and concrete outcomes that make a tangible difference, strengthening the power of positive content to advance communities and improve lives for the better."
The fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit will focus on two pillars. The first pillar is the shift from content creation into impact creation through crafting ‘Content for Good’. As part of this effort, the Summit and MrBeast, the world's most-followed YouTuber, launched the 1 Billion Acts of Kindness campaign, with the support of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) and the Varkey Foundation. During the Summit, MrBeast will announce names of 10 content creators selected to join him in leading this global social movement.
Additionally, the Summit and TikTok launched the world’s first Educators Award, an education-focused initiative designed to drive edutainment content and recognise the best education creators. Five strategic partnerships aimed at driving Content for Good were also launched with YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, X, and Meta.
The Summit’s second pillar focuses on integrating AI tools into content creation. To spearhead this effort, the 1 Billion Followers Summit, in partnership with Google Gemini, has launched the AI Film Award with a grand prize of $1 million. The award has already attracted over 30,000 participants from 116 countries and shortlisted five films to be screened during the summit before announcing the winner on day 2.
Day 3 of the Summit will also reveal winners of the Creators Ventures Accelerator, organised as part of the Creators Ventures programme.
A world-first, it is organised by Creators HQ in collaboration with 500 Global and aims to provide support to content creators and creative start-ups who will pitch their venture ideas to a judging panel of top investors and firms. Winning pitches will have access to investment opportunities and support valued at up to AED 50 million offered by Creators HQ and investors in the content creation industry to grow their ventures.
The Creators Ventures Accelerator received 1,131 applications representing over 70 countries.
The 1 Billion Followers Summit convenes the world's leading social media platforms, including Snapchat, X, YouTube, TikTok, Meta (Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp), Disney+ and TWITCH, to explore the future of the creator economy. Their insights are set to empower content creators and influencers, helping them expand their audience and drive positive change.
Social media platform executives, influencers and content creators will discuss shaping the future of the content industry and how to create impactful content. Discussions will also focus on protecting intellectual property, combating misinformation, the use of analytics and AI, as well as community building strategies to drive the content industry.
The 1 Billion Followers Summit brings together officials, top influencers, and global celebrities for a series of impactful sessions. The first day will feature a session on the "1 Billion Acts of Kindness" campaign, with Saeed Al Eter, CEO of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI); Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation; James Stephen Donaldson (MrBeast), the creator behind the world's largest YouTube channel and a pioneer in high-impact content; and Jeffrey Housenbold, CEO of Beast Industries.
Using the "1 Billion Acts of Kindness" campaign as an inspiring model, the panel will explore how the content creation industry can generate tangible, real-world impact. They will discuss how the creator economy can transform acts of kindness into a driving force, and how ‘content for good’ can inspire positive change across societies, cultures, and daily life.
The session will also reveal the names of the ten creators chosen to lead this global social movement alongside MrBeast.
The Day 1 agenda features a candid conversation with Max Amini, the celebrated comedian, director, producer, and podcaster. This session will offer an in-depth look at his career as a creator and entrepreneur, examining his creative approach, career path, and the core pillars of his top comedy brand.
On Day 2, Amini will deliver a high-energy, two-hour live performance, which will enhance the exceptional live experience for the summit’s audience.
Day 2 will also feature a fireside chat with Lara Trump, wife of US President’s son Eric Trump and a multifaceted figure in American politics and media. She currently hosts My View with Lara Trump on FOX News. She is also a Billboard-charted recording artist, and owner and CEO of her fitness clothing brand.
Lara Trump served as Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee for Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign.
Lara rose to prominence with her 2020 web series, The Right View, offering a conservative lens on politics and culture through panel discussions with influential commentators, attracting a broad audience. Her media career began as a producer and story coordinator for CBS’s Inside Edition, later becoming a FOX News contributor.
Beyond politics, Lara advocates for family, animals, and conservative values. She promotes healthy living through triathlons and CrossFit, inspiring wellness.
Another special panel discussion on Day 2 will feature world-famous actor and producer Will Smith, alongside Faris Saeed, Founder & Chairman, SEE Holdings which stands behind Dubai’s Sustainable City.
The session will discuss the positive message and insights gleaned from the ‘Pole to Pole with Will Smith’; a 7-part National Geographic series documenting Smith’s journey across the 7 continents, during which he meets with scientists, local communities, and explorers, and learns about how the world is changing and what that means for our future.
Mohamed Alabbar, Founder of Emaar, speaks during a fireside chat on Day 2 about Emaar’s approach to brand building and growth. This session unpacks how thinking at scale, committing to long term vision, and designing for impact turned ambitious concepts into global landmarks.
Rio Ferdinand, retired English football player who followed his legendary career by becoming a successful entrepreneur and influential digital media personality, joins a fireside chat on Day 2, where he reflects on his transition from global football icon to broadcaster, entrepreneur, and creator and the mindset required to build a purpose-driven second act. The session offers an inspiring perspective on how modern platforms are reshaping legacy and influence.
Another session will feature Simon Squibb, British entrepreneur who won US$1 million dollars on the 1 Billion Followers stage last year but didn’t keep it. He's been giving the money away to people in his videos, chasing their first big break. The audience will learn about the ripple effects of this move, how new businesses launched, creators took bold swings, and lives shifted in ways no one expected. In this raw and energising keynote, Simon reveals the surprising truth he witnessed up close: money can accelerate your dreams, but it will never replace action.
On Day 3 of the summit, Simon Squibb will sign his best-selling book What’s Your Dream?
