Mohammad Al Gergawi highlights content's role in shaping society at 1 Billion Followers Summit

Dubai: Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of UAE Cabinet Affairs, reaffirmed the 1 Billion Followers Summit’s status as the largest global annual gathering of content creators, and a key platform for advancing the content economy.

Growing its audience from 1 billion followers in its inaugural edition to 3.5 billion in its fourth, Al Gergawi stressed that this growing momentum means greater responsibility and more potential for driving change.

Al Gergawi delivered the opening remarks for the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026, organised by the UAE Government Media Office, and hosted at Emirates Towers, DIFC and the Museum of the Future, under the theme ‘Content for Good’, with over 15,000 content creators and influencers in attendance.

“Over the summit’s three days, we will celebrate content, not just as an industry, but as a driving force capable of improving lives,” said Al Gergawi.

The three-day event drew over 30,000 attendees this year, in addition to more than 500 speakers across a lineup of 580 sessions and workshops addressing economy, technology, education and community content.

Al Gergawi highlighted the evolving role of the content industry, which now helps shape public awareness, priorities and future. “Content is now an integral part of politics, a driver of economy and a force shaping communities. Over 50 million videos are produced around the world on a daily basis across just two of the many existing social platforms. Individuals are exposed to more than 10,000 media messages, and spend an average of 5 hours on social media every day.”

He noted that creating content no longer means entertainment, rather a creation of meaning. He added, “The summit’s theme of ‘Content for Good’ means we perceive content creators as creators of impact and change.”

He stated that algorithms are another force that has changed the course of humanity across history.

“Alongside governments that shape the rules of life, scientists who shape our understanding of the world, and businesses that transform ideas into value, algorithms shape our priorities, decisions, choices and direction. Content creators feed these algorithms, which means they are the driving force behind the human journey of intellect, public opinion and daily behaviour.”

He added, “We want creators to shift from amassing followers to driving change, and from creating content that wastes the user’s time to one that builds and empowers the individual.”

He stated that this path is marked by several key global initiatives, including the ‘1 Billion Acts of Kindness’ campaign with MrBeast, the world's most-followed YouTuber, supported by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) and the Varkey Foundation.

The campaign urged every content creator around the world to share an act of kindness, with the top 10 selected to travel to Ghana with Beast for a humanitarian project.

“The results were remarkable, as the campaign inspired more than 170,000 acts of kindness,” His Excellency told the summit’s audience.

He also pointed out another initiative launched in collaboration with TikTok, focused on driving edutainment content and recognising top educators. This initiative attracted over 600,000 participants and generated 1.8 billion views on TikTok.

He noted that another area of focus this year was AI, a tech he said will reshape the content industry as a whole.

“We deeply believe that those who do not embrace AI now will be left behind. Today, social media companies spend around $250 billion on AI, with 86% of creators utilising generative AI tools, which help quadruple the amount of produced content while cutting 60% of costs. Additionally, 70% of images circulating on social media today are AI-generated. Adding to the mix is a world of virtual influencers in a market that is projected to grow to $37 billion in four years.”

As part of efforts to test the limits of AI tools in filmmaking, the summit had announced the $1 million AI Film Award in partnership with Google Gemini.

Al Gergawi said, “Drawing over 30,000 creators from 116 countries, the Award is a major turning point in the future of filmmaking, moving from major corporation monopoly to creator empowerment. The summit also features 10 sessions and workshops dedicated to the practical application of AI in content creation.”

Concluding his remarks, Al Gergawi affirmed that it is not technology, platforms or algorithms that shape the future, but the human imagination and the meanings people create.