The second edition of the world’s biggest gathering for content creation and creators, the 1 Billion Followers Summit, has opened new windows into the limitless future potential of the US$ 250 billion industry with compelling insights from global luminaries at the 2-day expo in Dubai on Wednesday, 10th January.

Saeed Al Eter, Chairman, UAE Government Media Office, welcomed the summit’s attendees, noting, “We have more than 3,000 content creators from around the world in the land of ambition and creativity - the heart of all cultures - Dubai and the UAE. Today, UAE is in fact a cradle of dreamers, thanks to the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai”.

“Why are we here at the 1 Billion Followers Summit?”, he asked the audience, adding, “because the global population spends 6 hours a day on social media. Shaping their opinions, consuming news, learning and connecting. Content creators, therefore, are not just entertaining - they are responsible for creating a positive impact on families and societies the world over”.

“This US$ 250 billion dollar industry will continue to grow, and we are here to provide the right impetus and platforms like this to make sure that Dubai and the UAE are leading contributors of this success”, he further opined.

During her keynote address, Alia Al Hammadi, CEO of the New Media Academy (NMA), emphasised, “As we gather here today for community, collaboration and engagement, I want you to truly grasp the reach we collectively have. In 2023, over 5 billion or 61 percent of the global population was active on social media. Today, we come together as a dynamic force, as architects of influence, who have the unparalleled ability to shape social consciousness, and leave a positive impact on economies and global affairs”.

“In the past few decades, a new sector has emerged - the content creator industry. It created jobs that didn't exist before. Currently, there are more than 50 million content creators globally. If we compare this to a vital sector, the energy sector, it employs 67 million people around the world. This comparison is to underline this multi-million dollar industry’s rapidly growing importance and limitless future potential. Today, the market value of the content creator industry is around US$ 250 billion, and it is expected to double to reach half a trillion USD by 2027. This growth forecast positions the sector as one of the highest-growth sectors of the future”, she added.

She further noted, “More importantly, as content creators the impact you have is not just in numbers, but in the stories you tell and the positive change you inspire. A meme can change your mood. Every day you create a moment that didn’t exist before”.

“As proud organisers of the 1Billion Followers Summit, the expo of content creators, NMA believes that our unity is what inspires collective collaboration. This year, we are not only bigger and better but also more connected and more mindful,” she concluded.

Egyptian content creator Ahmed El Ghandour “Al-Daheeh”, who marked his presence as the summit’s “Ambassador”, underscored the importance of storytelling in order to create an impact; to generate empathy and to drive attention and support behind any cause.

“Powerful human stories have an economic impact. How? A t-shirt Maradona wore was auctioned for 10 million GBP. The tshirt did not cost more than 10 GBP to produce, so why did it sell at such a high value? This big price was earned due to the story it carried - it was the same jersey he wore when Argentina won the World Cup”, he noted.

Drawing from this example, he told his audience: “You know what sets us apart as Arabs? It is that we speak the Arabic language. We have Arab celebrities, actors, scientists, and it is important that we have Arab storytellers and content creators to tell our stories.”

Multi-award winning journalist and founder of who has leveraged augmented reality through his enterprises Hashtag Our Stories and @SeenTV to empower communities, said, “Phones are not the future; augmented reality is - in my opinion. I’ve been wearing smart glasses since 2010. Today, Microsoft, Google, Open AI and ChatGPT are all working on designing one hard device to centralise information for future users. And why not? According to Deloitte, by 2025, 25% of the world’s population will be using augmented reality”.

Omar is one of the pioneers of Snapchat journalism, through which he enabled rape victims in India who cannot reveal their identities to tell their stories without their faces being revealed.

“I created a company called @SeenTV, which offers people a cache of tools to tell their stories and create content by just using their selfie cameras. There will be a new generation of billion dollar businesses built on augmented reality, just like Google, Microsoft and other tech giants that were built on phones. So, invest in how people will consume content tomorrow,” he noted.

World-class mentalist couple based in Dubai, James Harrington and Marina Liani, who created MIND2MIND, left the audience in awe with jaw dropping acts of magic and mentalism that emphasised the power of the connection of minds, shared experiences and human unity.

Organised by the first digital media institution of its kind in the Middle East, New Media Academy, the UAE’s premier hub for content creation is taking place on 10-11 January 2024, at the Emirates Towers and the Museum of the Future in Dubai.

The largest event of its kind globally, the Summit brings together over 3,000 content creators, influencers and creatives from all around the globe, including 100 expert speakers, to address and inspire over 1 billion people around the world and discuss new media’s role in supporting economies and contributing to sustainable development agendas.

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