Google's annual 'Year in Search' report for 2025 has revealed its AI chatbot, Gemini, as the top trending search term globally, underscoring a significant surge in public interest in artificial intelligence. The comprehensive report offers a fascinating glimpse into the collective curiosity of the world, spanning everything from cutting-edge AI developments and major news events to pop culture phenomena and culinary trends.
It's important to note that Google's report doesn't reflect the overall most popular searches. If it did, the list would be dominated by perennial terms like 'weather' rather than emerging topics. Instead, Google's 'Year in Search' specifically highlights queries that experienced a sustained and significant spike in traffic during 2025 compared to the previous year, 2024.
Top Trending Searches of 2025
Leading the pack, 'Gemini' — Google's proprietary AI chatbot — secured the top spot among all trending searches. It was closely followed by 'India vs England' and 'Charlie Kirk.' Gemini wasn't the only AI chatbot to capture global attention; DeepSeek also made a notable appearance, ranking seventh on the trending list.
Trending News Topics
In the realm of news, Charlie Kirk was identified by Google as the top trending topic, specifically driven by searches for 'Charlie Kirk assassination.' Following this, 'Iran' and 'US Government Shutdown' were the second and third most trending news queries, respectively.
Food and Recipe Trends
Culinary interests saw the sweet-and-spicy condiment hot honey claim the top spot for recipes and food-related searches. 'Marry Me Chicken' and 'chimichurri' completed the top three trending food queries.
Movies and Actors
For film enthusiasts, 'Anora' was the most searched movie, ahead of 'Superman' and the 'Minecraft Movie.' The top trending actor search went to Mikey Madison, star of 'Anora.' Lewis Pullman, known for Marvel's 'Thunderbolts,' ranked second, with Isabela Merced, featured in 'Superman,' taking third place.
Sports Highlights
Sports fans showed significant interest in the 'FIFA Club World Cup,' which topped trending searches in the category. The 'Asia Cup' and 'ICC Champions Trophy' followed. Among sports teams, Paris Saint-Germain F.C. was the most searched, with S.L. Benfica and the Toronto Blue Jays rounding out the top three.
Podcasts and Books
Podcasts saw 'The Charlie Kirk Show' as the top trending search, followed by Jason and Travis Kelce's 'New Heights' and 'This is Gavin Newsom.' In literature, Colleen Hoover's 'Regretting You' was the most trending book, with Rebecca Yarros's 'Onyx Storm' and Naveesa Allen's 'Lights Out' completing the top three.
For a complete breakdown of all trending searches, the full report is available here.
