Dubai: 1 Billion Followers Summit returns in 2027 with 500 speakers, $1 million AI film prize

The region’s biggest gathering for content creators is all set for a mammoth return to the city.

The fifth 1 Billion Followers Summit will bring together more than 500 speakers with a combined following of over four billion, as it returns to Dubai from January 8 to 10, 2027. The programme will focus on practical uses of artificial intelligence, creator-led marketing and the expanding business built around online content.

“One of the major announcements is that we increased four times the number of followers when it comes to the speakers,” Alia AlHammadi, vice-chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and CEO of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, told Khaleej Times . “We’re expecting more than 500 speakers. The total number of followers is more than four billion, which showcases rapid growth within the ecosystem.”

AlHammadi added that AI would feature prominently, with sessions moving beyond introductory discussions to examine how brands and creators are using the technology in practice.

“This edition, in terms of the sessions, will focus a lot on AI, not just in terms of how to use it, but practical usage of AI,” she said. “There will be case studies from brands on how they used AI in improving or marketing their campaigns, as well as from content creators.”

The summit will also examine the changing relationship between brands, media and creators, including how companies are shifting marketing budgets towards creator partnerships. AlHammadi pointed to the growth of always-on marketing, in which brands work with creators throughout the year rather than for one-off campaigns.

“We saw Unilever increase the number of content creators it uses from 10,000 to 300,000,” she said. “We would see the marketing teams of those companies physically at the summit, sharing their case studies and expertise.”

AI film prize and creator projects

Among the initiatives announced for the 2027 summit is a $1 million AI Film Award. The previous competition received more than 30,000 submissions and organisers expect more entries this year. The award is being presented with TikTok and its Seedance platform.

TikTok will also partner with the summit on #1MillionStories, a competition inviting people to share stories about films and series that have changed their lives.

TikTok MENA head of content operations Karen Haddad said the initiative would focus on storytelling and the impact screen stories can have on people. “The platform is also planning a TikTok booth, with live creators from entertainment and education streaming from the event,” she told Khaleej Times . “We’re getting bigger and bigger in the way that we’re partnering with the 1 Billion Followers Summit.”

A full-day Instagram Creators Day will bring together selected speakers for sessions dedicated to the platform and its community. The summit will also introduce a Creator Market featuring around 100 creator-owned businesses, reflecting how many creators now build companies and products alongside their online presence.

Organisers said they also want to connect creators with media brands, creating opportunities for partnerships between the two.

Creators’ growing influence

AlHammadi described the creator economy as a significant support to the UAE and the wider region. “We had more than 14,000 people submit to be members at Creators HQ,” she said. “We are selective, so the approved members are only 5,000. Their total number of followers is more than five billion.”

The figures, she added, reflect the growth of the creator community in the UAE and its reach across the region. Organisers also added they want the country to become a centre for the global creator ecosystem, supported by government investment in the sector.

The summit’s fifth edition will take place at Emirates Towers and the Museum of the Future in Dubai from January 8 to 10, 2027.

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