Dubai: The community represented by the Billion Followers Summit has grown from around one billion followers at its launch to nearly four billion followers today, reflecting the rapid development of the UAE's content creation and new media ecosystem, according to Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs.Al Gergawi said the growth mirrors the success of a vision launched about five years ago to position the UAE as a global capital for content creators, influencers, new media and the future economy."When we talk about content, we are not just talking about media or journalism, but about society, life, sports and various fields," he said, noting that the media landscape has undergone a profound transformation over the past five years.He added that the concept of content has become broader and more influential across communities and economic sectors.Vision turned into realityAl Gergawi said the idea began with a forward-looking ambition to establish the UAE as a global centre for content creation and influencer-driven media at a time when the industry was experiencing rapid change."Have we reached the vision we wanted? I would say we have almost reached it," he said, referring to the UAE's growing role in the global content and new media landscape.He noted that the Billion Followers Summit is one of the clearest examples of that transformation.According to Al Gergawi, content creators participating in the summit's inaugural edition collectively reached around one billion followers, while the combined audience of participants today stands at approximately four billion followers.Capital of influencers and new mediaAl Gergawi said the growth achieved in a relatively short period demonstrates how the UAE has successfully built a supportive environment for creators and digital entrepreneurs."In a short period of time, together, we have transformed the UAE into a capital for influencers, a capital for content, a capital for the new economy, new media and the media of the future," he said.He stressed that the achievement extends beyond the success of a single event and reflects a broader national strategy aimed at attracting content creators, nurturing talent and supporting the growth of the emerging creator economy.Al Gergawi added that these efforts have developed alongside global shifts that have fundamentally reshaped the concept of media and the ways audiences consume information and engage with content.
