Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Mohammed Abdullah Al-Gergawi, confirmed that the One Billion Followers Summit is the largest global annual gathering of content creators, and one of the most important platforms for the content industry economy in the world. It started with one billion followers in the first session, and today in its fourth session it has reached 3.5 billion followers, and with every increase in reach, the responsibility doubles, and the opportunity for influence and change grows.
This came during his speech at the opening of the One Billion Followers Summit 2026, organized by the UAE Government Media Office, and hosted by the UAE over the course of 3 days in (Emirates Towers, the Dubai International Financial Center, and the Museum of the Future), in Dubai, under the slogan “Purposeful Content,” with the participation of more than 15,000 content makers and influencers.
Al Gergawi said: “This year, the Billion Summit will host more than 500 speakers, 30,000 participants, and 580 sessions and workshops, covering economic, technological, educational, and societal content. Over the course of 3 days, we celebrate content not only as an industry, but as a force capable of improving people’s lives.”
The Minister of Cabinet Affairs added that the content industry has become a basic industry that contributes to shaping human awareness, building his imagination, formulating his priorities, and determining his future. It has also become part of politics, an engine of the economy, and a tool for shaping societies. Today we live in a world in which more than 50 million videos are produced daily on only two social media platforms, and in which people are exposed to more than 10,000 media messages daily, and spend on average about 5 hours daily on social media, and there are more than 200 One million people work in the content industry, a number equivalent to half of the world’s government employees. Often, their influence goes beyond that of governments, hence the responsibility that falls on content creators.
Making meaning
Muhammad Abdullah Al-Gergawi stressed that the content industry is no longer an entertainment industry, but rather a meaning industry, and that is why the One Billion Followers Summit came under the slogan “Purposeful Content.” We view content makers as impact makers and life makers. In the world of digital media, content makers are the ones who revive meaning in people’s hearts, and shape the way people see themselves and the world. They are the ones who help young people build their dreams, give work meaning, and restore respect to society, the teacher, and the doctor.
He said, “Today, algorithms join the forces that have changed the course of humanity throughout history. These forces were first represented by governments, because they regulate life by law, scientists and thought leaders, because they changed human understanding of the world, and companies, because they transformed ideas into economic value and a way of life. As for the new force, which is algorithms, they are the ones that determine human priorities… and make their decisions, choices, and directions. What fuels these algorithms are the content makers who constitute the engine of the human journey, by influencing thought, public opinion, and daily behavior.”
Impact industry
He added: “This is why we want to move from creating followers to creating impact, and from content that consumes time to content that builds people. We have started on this path with specific global initiatives, as we launched with the global content maker Mr. Beast, the most followed influencer on YouTube, is a campaign: (1Billion Acts of Kindness) – (One Billion Community Actions). The idea of the campaign is simple and profound, as every content creator participates in community work, and 10 international content creators will be selected to work on a humanitarian project with the support of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation and the Varkey Foundation. The results are amazing, exceeding 170,000 community actions within the campaign.”
He pointed out that within this framework, the One Billion Followers Summit also launched an educational content initiative in cooperation with TikTok, which aims to support the creation of educational and entertaining content and honor the best teachers. More than 600,000 people participated in this initiative, and it received 1.8 billion views on the TikTok platform.
artificial intelligence
Al-Gergawi stressed that the One Billion Followers Summit also focuses in its session this year on artificial intelligence, which will completely reshape the content industry, and we believe in a clear message that whoever does not catch up with artificial intelligence will not catch up with the future of this industry. Today, social media companies spend about $250 billion on artificial intelligence, and 86% of creators actually use generative artificial intelligence tools, which quadruples content production and reduces costs by more than 60%, and more than 70% of the images circulating today on Social media is generated by artificial intelligence, and there are also virtual influencers, and it is expected that the size of the global market for virtual influencers within four years will reach $37 billion.
Human imagination
Al-Gergawi said: “At the One Billion Followers Summit, we wanted to test the limits of artificial intelligence tools in the field of cinema and films, and that is why we announced the AI Film Award in partnership with Google Gemini, with a prize of up to one million dollars, in which more than 30,000 creators from 116 countries participated. This award represents a real shift in the future of the film industry, as it moves from the monopoly of large companies to empowering creative individuals. We also devoted in this summit dozens of sessions and workshops that focus on the practical use of artificial intelligence in the film industry. Content.
At the conclusion of his speech, Al-Gergawi stressed that what creates the future is not technology, nor platforms, nor algorithms, but rather man. Man’s imagination, his audacity, and the meaning he creates are what determine the shape of the future.
Muhammad Al-Gergawi:
• Content creators are the ones who bring meaning to people’s hearts, shape the way people see themselves and the world, and are the ones who help young people build their dreams.
• We want to move from creating followers to creating impact, and from content that consumes time to content that builds people, and we have begun on this path with specific global initiatives.
Dubai, February 29, 2026 – The content creation industry is no longer just about racking up followers; it’s about wielding real-world influence. That’s the core message from the One Billion Followers Summit 2026, which convened over 15,000 content creators and influencers in Dubai this week.
The Rise of ‘Purposeful Content’
Table of Contents
The summit, hosted at Emirates Towers, the Dubai International Financial Center, and the Museum of the Future, signals a shift from simply gaining an audience to creating tangible impact.
- The One Billion Followers Summit has grown from an initial reach of one billion followers to 3.5 billion.
- More than 50 million videos are produced daily across just two social media platforms.
- The global market for virtual influencers is projected to reach $37 billion within four years.
- A campaign launched with Mr. Beast, “1Billion Acts of Kindness,” has already spurred over 170,000 community actions.
“Today we live in a world in which people are exposed to more than 10,000 media messages daily, and spend on average about 5 hours daily on social media,” stated Mohammed Abdullah Al-Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, during the summit’s opening address. “Content creators are the ones who revive meaning in people’s hearts, shape the way people see themselves and the world.”
Algorithms as a New Force
Al-Gergawi emphasized that algorithms are now a powerful force shaping human priorities, fueled by the content created by these influencers. “Algorithms determine human priorities… and make their decisions, choices, and directions,” he explained. This underscores the immense responsibility that comes with a large online following.
From Followers to Impact
The summit highlighted a move away from simply accumulating followers and toward creating measurable impact. Initiatives like the “1Billion Acts of Kindness” campaign, launched in partnership with YouTube star Mr. Beast, exemplify this shift. The campaign has already generated over 170,000 community service projects worldwide.
AI’s Transformative Role
Artificial intelligence is poised to dramatically reshape the content landscape. Al-Gergawi noted that social media companies are investing approximately $250 billion in AI, and 86% of creators are already utilizing generative AI tools. These tools are reportedly quadrupling content production while reducing costs by over 60%. More than 70% of images circulating on social media are now AI-generated.
The Future of Filmmaking
The summit also showcased the potential of AI in filmmaking, launching the AI Film Award in partnership with Google Gemini, offering a $1 million prize. Over 30,000 creators from 116 countries participated, signaling a democratization of the film industry.
Ultimately, Al-Gergawi stressed that technology is merely a tool. “What creates the future is not technology, nor platforms, nor algorithms, but rather man. Man’s imagination, his audacity, and the meaning he creates are what determine the shape of the future.”
