💰 Tomorrow, an AI Creator Will Take Home $1M

Are you ready for the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai? | Streaming in Short – W02

Jan 09, 2026

This week, I cover the $1M AI Film Award, a content creator moving into microdrama, and Disney+ pushing deeper into microdrama and AI.

🎬 $1M on the Line: Five AI Films Premiere This Week

👉 Five short films are competing for the $1 million grand prize at the AI Film Award, one of the biggest global competitions for AI-generated films.

📍 The nominated films, Portrait No. 72, Cats Like Warmth, LILY, Heal, and The Translator, will premiere tonight at the 1 Billion Followers Summit. The final winner will be announced on Saturday.

💡 This shows how fast AI filmmaking is growing, with real money, global exposure, and creator recognition at scale.

📱 From Social Media to Microdrama: Hannah Stocking Takes the Lead

👉 Content creator Hannah Stocking stars in Playback, billed as the first musical microdrama made for vertical video.

📍 Produced by Second Rodeo, the series will premiere in early 2026 on My Drama. It follows a songwriter who creates an AI version of herself that becomes famous, forcing her to fight for her real voice and identity.

💡 This shows how creators are moving into scripted microdramas, using vertical formats to reach mobile-first audiences in new ways.

Sports streaming has changed how fans follow leagues, teams, and athletes. Live matches still matter, but fandom now goes far beyond match time.

To understand where sports fandom is going, WSC Sports surveyed fans in the U.S. across Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.

Why does this matter for MENA?

Sports rights are spread across broadcasters, telco platforms, and local players. Audiences are young, mobile-first, and very active on social platforms. Live sports are easy to find, but consistent fan experiences across platforms are harder to deliver.

So the question is simple: Is sports streaming in MENA ready for the next era of fandom?

In my new whitepaper, I combine WSC Sports’ fan engagement study with The Streaming Lab’s analysis of the MENA sports streaming ecosystem.

Read the full whitepaper here

🤖 Disney+ Moves Into Microdrama and AI

What happened?

👉 Disney+ announced at CES that it will add short, vertical videos to Disney+ in 2026.

Key details:

Disney+ will launch a vertical, scrollable feed.
The content is made for mobile users.
It will include short stories, sports clips, and news.
Disney is also using AI to help create and personalize video ads.

Why it matters?

🎯 Disney+ is getting ready for an AI-native generation that watches content on mobile and likes short stories. By mixing microdrama-style formats and AI, Disney+ wants to become a daily app, not just a place to watch long shows.

📱 VERTICAL: Viu Launches Vertical Microdramas

Viu has launched Viu Shorts, a new vertical video section dedicated to microdramas.

The feature offers 1–3 minute episodes in multiple Asian languages and is built directly into Viu’s mobile app, using a freemium model alongside its long-form content.

🇯🇴 ROYA: 15 years

Roya Media Group marked its 15-year journey, built on independence, perseverance, and investment in local talent.

Now a full media group, Roya has expanded beyond TV to reach billions of views across platforms, with 2025 described as its strongest year and the start of a new growth phase.

🔁 BRAND: Shahid is now MBC Shahid

MBC Shahid has officially rebranded, becoming MBC Shahid.

The move strengthens the platform’s link to the MBC Group brand, while keeping the same service and experience. The goal is a clearer identity and bigger ambitions for premium storytelling and regional entertainment.

🎧 PODS: Spotify Boosts Monetization for Video Podcasts

Spotify is expanding monetization options for video podcast creators.

The platform lowered entry requirements for its Partner Program and now allows video podcasts hosted outside Spotify to earn money. Spotify says video podcast viewing has nearly doubled over the past year.

👾 TOP: Stranger Things 5 Enters Netflix’s All-Time Top 10

Stranger Things Season 5 has become Netflix’s No. 9 most-watched English-language series of all time, with 105.7 million views so far.

The season still has weeks of counting ahead and could climb higher on the ranking. Its strong launch also pushed all previous seasons back into Netflix’s Top 10, showing the franchise’s lasting global pull.

🇦🇪 DUBAI: 1 Billion Followers Summit Takes Over the City

The 1 Billion Followers Summit is happening in Dubai from January 9–11, 2026, bringing together 15,000 creators and 500 speakers with a combined reach of 3.5 billion followers.

The sold-out event focuses on the creator economy, AI, and short-form video, with major names attending and the $1M AI Film Award being presented during the summit.

🧪 Rick and Morty season 8, from Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, (Netflix, 10 episodes): To punish Morty and Summer, Rick puts them in a simulation. However, their experience inside the simulation leads to real life repercussions.

Watch The Opening Credits For Rick and Morty Season Eight: The Ocho - Bubbleblabber

🏛️ 13 years ago, House of Cards premiered on Netflix. Created by Beau Willimon, the series pulled viewers into the ruthless world of Washington politics, exploring power, manipulation, and ambition. House of Cards became Netflix’s first major original hit and helped prove that streaming platforms could deliver prestige television at a global scale.