Dubai Unveils $1 Million Global AI Film Award

Dubai has launched a $1-million global award for films created entirely using artificial intelligence, the first and largest initiative of its kind. The announcement was made on Wednesday during preparatory meetings for the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 at Creator HQ in Dubai. The award, developed in partnership with Google Gemini, will honour short films that showcase creativity, realism, and humanitarian storytelling. The top 10 entries will be screened during the summit, with full details of the competition to be released in September.

Alia Al Hammadi, Deputy Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and Director of the summit, said the award was designed to celebrate fully AI-generated films—from idea and scriptwriting to production and editing. She explained that entries would be judged on creativity, storytelling, use of AI, execution, and their ability to deliver a humanitarian message. Criteria such as submission guidelines and film length will be announced in the coming weeks.

Dubai also unveiled a Dh50-million Creators Ventures Programme aimed at supporting influencers and content creators through funding, mentorship, and global exposure. The initiative will incubate individual creators and companies, help them pitch to investors, and support projects with cultural, economic, and social impact. Partnerships with TikTok, Snapchat and other global platforms are also part of the plan.

The fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit will run from January 9 to 11, 2026, across Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Museum of the Future. The event, themed 'Content for Good', will feature more than 400 speakers and is expected to reach over three billion people worldwide. For the first time, the summit will include a dedicated pavilion for content creation companies, offering space for about 100 small and medium enterprises, including startups founded by creators, to showcase their work, network, and strike deals.