Google has released its Year in Search 2025, and the headline is unmistakable: AI didn’t just trend, it took over. Gemini emerged as the world’s #1 top trending search, while China’s DeepSeek secured major positions in both global and US lists.
AI tools dominated search spikes in 2025, sports continued their stronghold globally, the US leaned more toward politics and entertainment.
And a whole separate category in the US highlighted the rise of AI-generated content, from “AI action figure” to “AI Ghostface.”
Now, let’s learn everything that shaped the search world in 2025.
Why Did AI Tools Lead the Global Trending Searches in 2025?
Google’s annual Year in Search report does something interesting, it does not rank the most-searched topics overall but instead highlights the highest spikes in search interest compared to the previous year.
This makes the data more reflective of what suddenly captured global attention.
And this year, AI didn’t just capture attention; it stole the entire stage.
Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, became the top trending search globally, signalling a massive adoption curve and public curiosity.
Whether it was new feature drops, integrations, controversies, or comparisons with other AI models, Gemini consistently stayed in the spotlight.
Then came DeepSeek, a Chinese AI system that unexpectedly went viral earlier this year due to its performance benchmarks and affordability discussions.
It landed #6 globally and #7 in the US, a rare crossover success for a China-based tech product in Western searches.
What Shaped Global Searches Beyond AI?
AI may have taken the crown, but global search behavior showed its traditional colors too, sports and geopolitical events continued to dominate the worldwide top 10.
Here is the global trending list (ordered exactly as Google released it):
- Gemini
- India vs England
- Charlie Kirk
- Club World Cup
- India vs Australia
- DeepSeek
- Asia Cup
- Iran
- iPhone 17
- Pakistan and India
The pattern is striking: cricket alone accounts for three of the top ten global trends.
India vs England, India vs Australia, and Asia Cup. This reaffirms one thing: cricket is not just a sport; it is a global cultural moment-maker.
What also stands out is “Iran” and “Pakistan and India,” pointing to political tensions and news cycles that sparked widespread curiosity.
Then there is iPhone 17, proving that Apple announcements continue to be among the most predictable traffic magnets every single year.
Even in a year where AI ruled the headlines, people still turned to sports, politics, and tech launches, the things that move emotions and shape conversations.
How Did the US Trending Searches Differ from Global Patterns?
Here is where things get interesting, the US search behavior was almost an entirely different world.
In the United States, Charlie Kirk, a political commentator, took the #1 spot.
Then came KPop Demon Hunters, a fast-rising entertainment title that dominated social conversations earlier this year.
The US top 10 list looked like this:
- Charlie Kirk
- KPop Demon Hunters
- Labubu
- iPhone 17
- One Big Beautiful Bill Act
- Zohran Mamdani
- DeepSeek
- Government shutdown
- FIFA Club World Cup
- Tariffs
The US list reflects three very distinct drivers:
- Politics and policy, with terms like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Zohran Mamdani, tariffs and government shutdown
- Entertainment, including KPop Demon Hunters and Labubu
- Tech and AI, with iPhone 17 and DeepSeek
This contrast with global trends made me wonder: Is the US increasingly moving toward issue-based searches while the rest of the world rallies around shared global moments like sports and AI?
Why Did AI-Generated Content Trend Separately in the US?
One of the most fascinating parts of this year’s report was a dedicated “Trends” category in the US, almost entirely dominated by AI-generated creativity.
The top US trends included:
- AI action figure
- AI Barbie
- Holy airball
- AI Ghostface
- AI Polaroid
- Chicken jockey
- Bacon avocado
- Anxiety dance
- Unfortunately, I do love
- Ghibli
The standout entry here is Ghibli, driven by viral AI-generated images styled after Studio Ghibli’s iconic animation.
These visuals overtook TikTok, Instagram, and X earlier this year, becoming cultural artefacts of 2025’s AI creativity wave.
This tells us something profound: AI is no longer just a productivity tool, it is now a creative playground and a social language.
What News Events Triggered the Biggest Search Spikes in 2025?
Beyond entertainment and AI, the year was heavy with global and domestic events that shaped headlines and searches.
Global news trends included:
- LA Fires
- Hurricane Melissa
- TikTok ban
- New Pope announcement
US news trends included:
- The One Big Beautiful Bill Act
- Tariffs
- Government shutdown
- LA Fires
The overlap between LA Fires and other domestic topics shows how climate-driven disasters are continuing to influence not just news cycles, but public behavior in search.
And seeing a new pope trend globally reminds us how rare and impactful such transitions are, drawing worldwide attention.
Why Does This Data Matter for Marketers, Creators, and Businesses?
Every year, Google’s Year in Search acts like a mirror, not just showing what people looked for, but revealing why they looked for it.
Here’s what 2025’s trends tell us:
- AI is officially mainstream. Gemini and DeepSeek trending globally means AI is no longer a niche curiosity, it is a central part of everyday behavior.
- Regional behavior is diverging. Global users rallied around sports and AI, while the US prioritized politics and entertainment.
- AI creativity is exploding. A whole category of AI artwork and video trends did not just appear, it dominated.
- News spikes remain unpredictable. Fires, bans, policy changes and storms shaped global curiosity.
For anyone planning content, campaigns, or positioning, the message is clear: Find the overlap between cultural trends and your brand’s identity because that’s where relevance lives.
What Should We Expect Going Into 2026?
Google has made its full dataset available on its Trends website, offering a much deeper dive. But if there is one takeaway from this year, it is this:
AI isn’t just part of the search world, it is the search world.
Gemini became the world’s biggest search spike. DeepSeek crossed borders. AI-generated content reshaped social media.
And yet, the human side such as sports, politics, disasters, entertainment remained as powerful as ever.
Dipti Arora
AuthorDipti Arora is a Senior Content Writer with over seven years of experience creating impactful content across Digital Marketing, SEO, technology, and business domains. She has a strong background in managing news verticals and delivering editorial excellence. Dipti has contributed to leading publications such as The Times of India and CEO News, where her research-driven storytelling and ability to simplify complex subjects have consistently stood out. She is passionate about crafting content that informs, engages, and drives meaningful results.