Google Launches Million Dollar Prize For AI Filmmakers

Credit: Google / AI Generated

The world of filmmaking is about to get a major jolt of artificial intelligence. Google and the 1 Billion Followers Summit have just announced a staggering $1 million prize for a new global filmmaking competition. Dubbed the 1B AI Film Award, it's being called the largest prize for content creation in the world—with one major catch: your film must be made with AI.

A Record-Breaking Prize for AI Creators

This million-dollar grand prize (approximately £740K / AU$1.5 million) is set to be awarded to one winner during the 1 Billion Followers Summit, a major expo for content creators happening in Dubai from January 9-11, 2026. The competition is a clear signal that major tech players are investing heavily in the future of AI-driven creative content.

What Are the Rules for Entry?

The contest rules are specific about the tools of the trade. To be eligible, your short film must be between 7 and 10 minutes long and heavily feature Google's own AI technology.

According to the official announcement, a crucial requirement is that "70% of the content must be generated using Google AI tools and models." This means creators will need to lean on platforms like Google Gemini or the new video generation model, Google Veo 3, for the core of their film. While you can use other software for post-production tasks like editing and sound design, the primary video generation must come from Google's AI.

Creative Themes to Inspire Your AI Film

The competition provides two distinct thematic prompts to guide creators:

• Rewrite Tomorrow: This theme calls for films that offer an optimistic and inspirational view of the future.
• Secret Life of: This category is for AI-generated videos that uncover inspiring, untold stories.

The contest is open to creators from anywhere in the world. Films can be submitted in any language, but they must include English subtitles to be considered by the judges.

Timeline and Judging Process

If you're ready to start prompting your masterpiece, you have until November 20 to submit your film. After the deadline, a jury of global experts in tech and filmmaking will select a top-ten shortlist in December.

From there, the public will have a chance to vote on the ten finalists. The top five films will then be premiered at the 1 Billion Followers Summit in 2026. The grand prize winner will be announced on the final day of the event, January 11, 2026. For more details, you can review the full contest rules on the AI Film Award’s website.