The 1 Billion Followers Summit ended recently in Dubai, gathering more than 15,000 content creators, 420 speakers, and 125 CEOs across three days from 11 to 13 January 2025. The event also hosted over 300 keynotes, panels, and main sessions revolving around the theme “Content for Good.”
“The UAE plays a pivotal role in shaping digital media and content creation, and the future of this rapidly evolving industry. Our primary objective is to establish a robust content industry in the region that serves positive societal goals,” says Alia AlHammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and CEO of the 1 Billion Followers Summit.
Industry leaders share insights
Industry leaders convened at the 1 Billion Followers Summit to discuss opportunities in the creator economy, and how leveraging these can help contribute to its growth in the region and beyond.
Tarek Amin, YouTube’s Regional Director for the Middle East, Africa, and Türkiye, presented ‘YouTube‘s Guide to The Future of Content Creation & AI’ at the summit and pointed out the power of ultra-short videos and the importance of human touch in creating effective content. “Some clips as short as five seconds are achieving unprecedented global popularity. AI should enhance human creativity, not replace it. At YouTube, we’re committed to empowering creators by supporting responsible innovation,” says Amin.
Zaria Parvez, Senior Global Social Media Manager at Duolingo, addressed the audience during a session titled ‘The Duolingo Playbook for Social-First Brands’. In this presentation, she shared that one of the reasons for the app’s success was having an interactive, innovative, and game-like approach to learning new languages.
“Interactivity, fun, and technology are at the heart of Duolingo’s success. Our culturally relevant content, combined with a user-friendly interface, has redefined how people learn languages. My experience at Duolingo highlights the importance of empowering young talent to experiment and innovate,” Parvez remarks.
Meta also had a presence at the recently held summit. In the session ‘Unlocking The Future of AI with Meta’, Fares Akkad, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Meta, acknowledged how AI and emerging technologies are changing the way creators produce and deliver content.
“A future where AI tools are accessible to all is within reach. By offering these tools free of charge in the coming years, we aim to facilitate content creation, allowing individuals to innovate and engage in ways previously unimaginable,” states Akkad.
The 1 Billion Followers Summit also saw the UAE government unveil the Dubai-based Creators HQ, a first-of-its-kind global center, this new initiative aims to attract 10,000 influencers to the UAE.
This project is backed by the Content Creators Support Fund and was launched under the guidance of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. With a budget of AED 150 million, the fund aims to advance the digital content industry by giving much-needed support to innovators and creators.
During the event, Creators HQ and Meta also announced the launch of a new program, whose goal is to empower creators in the region to offer meaningful content. Called ‘Creators for Purpose’, this initiative amplifies the country’s mission to enhance the positive impact of digital media on societal growth.
Summit highlights and spotlights
Adaptability and responsibility emerged as key themes during the discussions at the summit. In one keynote, American content creator Zach King talked about how content creation has changed over the years, noting the emergence of several platforms like Vine, YouTube, and TikTok. In the session titled ‘How to Stay Relevant for a Decade?’, he recounted his journey in content creation. He also shared some of the challenges he encountered along the way and how we managed to overcome them.
Abdulrahman Abu Malih, the Founder and CEO of Riyadh-based production company Thmanyah, discussed his journey from being a content creator with a successful YouTube channel, to becoming an entrepreneur with his own paid podcast platform. Dr. Mike, or Mikhail Varshavski in real life, participated in a fireside chat in which he underscored the importance of creators acknowledging their responsibility for their influence and for producing credible content.
Additionally, Vincent Flibustier shared his take on the pervasive issue of disinformation. In the session ‘I Fooled the Masses – The Danger of Fake News’, the satirical writer and content creator reflected on his viral moment in July last year when he falsely claimed responsibility for a global computer outage attributed to a CrowdStrike update. In his talk, he discussed how disinformation spreads and shared how to cover and report on technological disasters responsibly.
The summit also hosted masterclasses and panels that provided the audience with insights and tips on how to thrive in the creator economy.
In the session ‘Simple Secrets to Making Your First Dollar’, Zack Zach Honarvar, emphasized how content creation can be an income-generating opportunity. The Co-Founder and CEO of Creator Now urged creators to focus on “selling a lifestyle”. And for those who want to venture into product development, he told the audience of mostly content creators to do so by creating products that their communities want.
Faisal Al Aqel and Munira Al Sharifi — known for the podcast Bidon Waraq — spoke on the panel ‘The Journey of Bidon Waraq’. They shared strategies for creating impactful content on rather delicate topics like politics and social issues.
Content creation is also all about collaboration. In a panel called ‘From Local Creator to Global Brand’, Indian YouTuber and actress Prajakta Koli and One Digital Entertainment’s Co-Founder Gurpreet Singh talked about their long-term collaboration. Koli discussed how this partnership helped her put her brand on the global stage, underscoring the importance of shared vision, mutual trust, and seamless execution.
‘How to Monetize and Market on Roblox’, another interesting panel, discussed ways to achieve financial success on the online game platform. Zach Letter, Co-Founder and CEO of Wonder World Studios and a Roblox specialist, shared how his YouTube channel transformed into a thriving gaming studio.
With all these sessions and keynotes — alongside major initiatives and partnership announcements — 1 Billion Followers Summit was able to establish itself as a platform that can contribute to the growth of the creator economy moving forward.
And as the creator economy develops worldwide, whose market value could reach $480 billion by 2027 according to Goldman Sachs, events such as the 1 Billion Followers Summit can serve as important conduits of information, solutions and innovations as well as opportunities to boost a global ecosystem that is changing the way we create and consume content.
The 1 Billion Followers Summit ended recently in Dubai, gathering more than 15,000 content creators, 420 speakers, and 125 CEOs across three days from 11 to 13 January 2025. The event also hosted over 300 keynotes, panels, and main sessions revolving around the theme “Content for Good.”
“The UAE plays a pivotal role in shaping digital media and content creation, and the future of this rapidly evolving industry. Our primary objective is to establish a robust content industry in the region that serves positive societal goals,” says Alia AlHammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and CEO of the 1 Billion Followers Summit.
Industry leaders share insights
Industry leaders convened at the 1 Billion Followers Summit to discuss opportunities in the creator economy, and how leveraging these can help contribute to its growth in the region and beyond.
Tarek Amin, YouTube’s Regional Director for the Middle East, Africa, and Türkiye, presented ‘YouTube‘s Guide to The Future of Content Creation & AI’ at the summit and pointed out the power of ultra-short videos and the importance of human touch in creating effective content. “Some clips as short as five seconds are achieving unprecedented global popularity. AI should enhance human creativity, not replace it. At YouTube, we’re committed to empowering creators by supporting responsible innovation,” says Amin.
Zaria Parvez, Senior Global Social Media Manager at Duolingo, addressed the audience during a session titled ‘The Duolingo Playbook for Social-First Brands’. In this presentation, she shared that one of the reasons for the app’s success was having an interactive, innovative, and game-like approach to learning new languages.
“Interactivity, fun, and technology are at the heart of Duolingo’s success. Our culturally relevant content, combined with a user-friendly interface, has redefined how people learn languages. My experience at Duolingo highlights the importance of empowering young talent to experiment and innovate,” Parvez remarks.
Meta also had a presence at the recently held summit. In the session ‘Unlocking The Future of AI with Meta’, Fares Akkad, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Meta, acknowledged how AI and emerging technologies are changing the way creators produce and deliver content.
“A future where AI tools are accessible to all is within reach. By offering these tools free of charge in the coming years, we aim to facilitate content creation, allowing individuals to innovate and engage in ways previously unimaginable,” states Akkad.
The 1 Billion Followers Summit also saw the UAE government unveil the Dubai-based Creators HQ, a first-of-its-kind global center, this new initiative aims to attract 10,000 influencers to the UAE.
This project is backed by the Content Creators Support Fund and was launched under the guidance of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. With a budget of AED 150 million, the fund aims to advance the digital content industry by giving much-needed support to innovators and creators.
During the event, Creators HQ and Meta also announced the launch of a new program, whose goal is to empower creators in the region to offer meaningful content. Called ‘Creators for Purpose’, this initiative amplifies the country’s mission to enhance the positive impact of digital media on societal growth.
Summit highlights and spotlights
Adaptability and responsibility emerged as key themes during the discussions at the summit. In one keynote, American content creator Zach King talked about how content creation has changed over the years, noting the emergence of several platforms like Vine, YouTube, and TikTok. In the session titled ‘How to Stay Relevant for a Decade?’, he recounted his journey in content creation. He also shared some of the challenges he encountered along the way and how we managed to overcome them.
Abdulrahman Abu Malih, the Founder and CEO of Riyadh-based production company Thmanyah, discussed his journey from being a content creator with a successful YouTube channel, to becoming an entrepreneur with his own paid podcast platform. Dr. Mike, or Mikhail Varshavski in real life, participated in a fireside chat in which he underscored the importance of creators acknowledging their responsibility for their influence and for producing credible content.
Additionally, Vincent Flibustier shared his take on the pervasive issue of disinformation. In the session ‘I Fooled the Masses – The Danger of Fake News’, the satirical writer and content creator reflected on his viral moment in July last year when he falsely claimed responsibility for a global computer outage attributed to a CrowdStrike update. In his talk, he discussed how disinformation spreads and shared how to cover and report on technological disasters responsibly.
The summit also hosted masterclasses and panels that provided the audience with insights and tips on how to thrive in the creator economy.
In the session ‘Simple Secrets to Making Your First Dollar’, Zack Zach Honarvar, emphasized how content creation can be an income-generating opportunity. The Co-Founder and CEO of Creator Now urged creators to focus on “selling a lifestyle”. And for those who want to venture into product development, he told the audience of mostly content creators to do so by creating products that their communities want.
Faisal Al Aqel and Munira Al Sharifi — known for the podcast Bidon Waraq — spoke on the panel ‘The Journey of Bidon Waraq’. They shared strategies for creating impactful content on rather delicate topics like politics and social issues.
Content creation is also all about collaboration. In a panel called ‘From Local Creator to Global Brand’, Indian YouTuber and actress Prajakta Koli and One Digital Entertainment’s Co-Founder Gurpreet Singh talked about their long-term collaboration. Koli discussed how this partnership helped her put her brand on the global stage, underscoring the importance of shared vision, mutual trust, and seamless execution.
‘How to Monetize and Market on Roblox’, another interesting panel, discussed ways to achieve financial success on the online game platform. Zach Letter, Co-Founder and CEO of Wonder World Studios and a Roblox specialist, shared how his YouTube channel transformed into a thriving gaming studio.
With all these sessions and keynotes — alongside major initiatives and partnership announcements — 1 Billion Followers Summit was able to establish itself as a platform that can contribute to the growth of the creator economy moving forward.
And as the creator economy develops worldwide, whose market value could reach $480 billion by 2027 according to Goldman Sachs, events such as the 1 Billion Followers Summit can serve as important conduits of information, solutions and innovations as well as opportunities to boost a global ecosystem that is changing the way we create and consume content.
Other industry events scheduled to take place this year include Creator Economy Live, IG Summit, and Paris Creator Week, among others.