MrBeast tells creators at Dubai’s 1 Billion Followers Summit that social media can change lives - not just rack up views

Dubai: Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has spent most of his life on YouTube. He started uploading videos at the age of 11, often to audiences of a few hundred people. Nearly two decades later, the 27-year-old commands one of the largest followings on the internet, with his latest video drawing more than 44 million views.

Yet on stage at Dubai’s 1 Billion Followers Summit, Donaldson made it clear that follower counts have never been the point.

“We [content creators] have a lot of eyeballs on us, and sometimes you forget there are actual people behind the numbers,” he told the packed hall. “It doesn’t matter if it’s 500 views or millions - that’s still a lot of people you can inspire.”

It was a striking sentiment at a summit that brought together 15,000 creators whose combined following exceeds 3.5 billion people.

A summit about reach and the weight that comes with it

Despite the scale of the event, Donaldson repeatedly returned to a single idea - influence without intention is meaningless.

“This isn’t about followers or views,” he said. “It’s about what you do with the reach you have and the impact that can actually change lives.”

That belief has shaped much of his recent work, particularly his growing focus on healthcare-related philanthropy, an area he described as both rewarding and deeply troubling.

“It’s sad that a YouTuber is someone’s last hope”

MrBeast spoke openly about helping fund medical procedures for thousands of people through his content including restoring sight and hearing.

“We helped over 1,000 people see and 10,000 people hear,” he said. “In America, especially with healthcare, it’s sad that for some people their only chance at a cure is to turn to a YouTuber to help them see or walk again.”

While the results are life-changing, he admitted the reality behind them is uncomfortable.

“It’s upsetting that we are the option for some people, their last resort,” he said. “I hope that through our content, people realise that shouldn’t be the case, and that it pushes them to advocate for better healthcare.”

The room fell noticeably quieter as he spoke, a reminder that viral videos can sometimes fill gaps left by broken systems.

Creators heading to Ghana to build a village

Before Donaldson took the stage, organisers announced the winners of the 1 Billion Acts of Kindness, a first-of-its-kind creator-led global initiative aimed at turning online influence into offline impact.

Ten creators from around the world will join MrBeast in Ghana, where they will help build a village as part of the programme. The initiative is backed by the Varkey Foundation and Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives (MBRGI), and the journey will be documented on MrBeast’s YouTube channel, which now boasts 459 million subscribers.

“I can’t imagine my life without making videos”

Despite having spent more than half his life creating content, burnout is not something Donaldson says he relates to.

“I know a lot of creators reach a point where they want to hang it up,” he said. “But for me, I love it more every year. I don’t see myself ever stopping.”

Asked what life might look like without YouTube, he laughed.

“That would be pretty hard. I’ve been making videos since I was 11. I don’t think I’d have the money or the funds to create the impact I do now.”

“If I wasn’t who I am today, I’d still be giving back,” he added. “But I’d probably be donating pennies.”

The short-form era and the danger of forgetting the audience

Reflecting on how the creator economy has changed over the past decade, Donaldson highlighted the rise of short-form, vertical video, where content is consumed in seconds and scrolled past just as quickly.

“You swipe up and the first thing you see is a short video,” he said. “That’s the biggest difference now.”

But the speed of consumption, he warned, does not reduce accountability.

“Behind the numbers are real people,” he said. “Real people being influenced by what we put out there.”

His advice to creators, especially smaller ones, was simple but firm.

“It doesn’t matter how small your audience is,” he said. “If you have a message or a goal with your content, you need to take it seriously. There’s a responsibility that comes with being heard, even by a few hundred people.”