Google released its Year in Search data, revealing the queries that saw the largest spikes in search interest.

AI tools featured prominently in the global list, with Gemini ranking as the top trending search worldwide and DeepSeek

also appearing in the top 10.

The annual report tracks searches with the highest sustained traffic spikes in 2025 compared to 2024, rather than total

search volume.

AI Tools Lead Global Trending Searches

Gemini topped the global trending searches list, reflecting the growth of Google’s AI assistant throughout 2025.

DeepSeek, the Chinese AI company that drew attention earlier this year, appeared in both the global (#6) and US (#7)

trending lists.

The global top 10 trending searches were:

Gemini

India vs England

Charlie Kirk

Club World Cup

India vs Australia

DeepSeek

Asia Cup

Iran

iPhone 17

Pakistan and India

US Trending Searches Show Different Priorities

The US list diverged from global trends, with Charlie Kirk leading and entertainment properties ranking high. KPop Demon

Hunters claimed the second spot.

The US top 10 trending searches were:

Charlie Kirk

KPop Demon Hunters

Labubu

iPhone 17

One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Zohran Mamdani

DeepSeek

Government shutdown

FIFA Club World Cup

Tariffs

AI-Generated Content Leads US Trends

A dedicated “Trends” category in the US data showed AI content creation drove search interest throughout 2025.

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 Ghibli entry likely reflects the viral AI-generated images mimicking Studio Ghibli’s animation style that circulated

on social media platforms.

News & Current Events

News-related trending searches reflected the year’s developments. Globally, the top trending news searches included the

LA Fires, Hurricane Melissa, TikTok ban, and the selection of a new pope.

US news trends focused on domestic policy, with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and tariffs appearing alongside the

government shutdown and Los Angeles fires.

Why This Matters

This data shows where user interest spiked throughout 2025. The presence of AI tools at the top of global trends

confirms continued growth in AI-related search behavior.

The split between global and US lists also shows regional differences in trending topics. Cricket matches dominated

global sports interest while US searches leaned toward entertainment and policy.

Looking Ahead

Google’s Year in Search data is available on the company’s trends site.

Comparing this year’s trending topics against your content calendar can reveal gaps in coverage or opportunities for

timely updates to existing content.