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- The award was presented at the fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai, where Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and member of the Dubai Council, honoured the winning filmmaker.
- The win positions Zoubeir Jlassi at the forefront of a new era in filmmaking, where artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming a powerful tool for cinematic expression rather than just a technical experiment.
- Tunisian filmmaker Zoubeir Jlassi has won the world’s first $1 million AI Film Award for his short film Lily, marking a major milestone for artificial intelligence in cinema.
Tunisian filmmaker Zoubeir Jlassi has won the world’s first $1 million AI Film Award for his short film Lily, marking a major milestone for artificial intelligence in cinema.
The award was presented at the fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai, where Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and member of the Dubai Council, honoured the winning filmmaker. She said the initiative will play a key role in advancing the digital content industry while inspiring young creators to innovate and push creative boundaries.
She added that the award reflects the UAE’s commitment to nurturing talent that helps shape the future of the cultural and creative industries.
فيديو الـAI هذا يفوز بمليون دولار 👇
اليوم في حدث @1billionsummit أقيمت مسابقة باسم AI Film Award.
الجائزة كانت مليون دولار لأفضل فيلم قصير يتم إنتاجه باستخدام الذكاء الاصطناعي.
قطاع الإعلام والمحتوى فعلاً مقبل على تغيير جذري. pic.twitter.com/L0yoJnOj8Q
— غازي – Ghazi (@Q8Three) January 10, 2026
The AI Film Award, launched in collaboration with Google Gemini, is the first global prize of its kind dedicated exclusively to films created using generative artificial intelligence. Jlassi’s nine-minute short, produced entirely with Google’s AI tools, is presented in French and explores a dramatic narrative rooted in ethical storytelling.
According to organisers, Lily was selected for its effective use of digital technology to deliver emotional depth while conveying a strong moral message. The competition attracted more than 30,000 submissions from 116 countries, with jury members reviewing over 400 hours of screen time before selecting the winner.
The top five shortlisted films will be premiered during the ongoing 1 Billion Followers Summit, further highlighting the growing intersection of AI, storytelling, and global creative culture.
The win positions Zoubeir Jlassi at the forefront of a new era in filmmaking, where artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming a powerful tool for cinematic expression rather than just a technical experiment.
