Global visual searches jumped 70% while India led adoption of Google’s new AI features: Report

Google reported a shift in how people used Search in 2025, citing a rise in longer, complex queries and increased reliance on multimodal tools. The company said visual searches grew 70% globally year over year, and 15% of searches each day were entirely new, reflecting changing user behaviour. India remained one of Google’s most active markets for visual search, with more people using Google Lens each month than in any other country, according to the company.

This week, Google rolled out several updates in India, including AI Mode powered by the new Gemini 3 model, Nano Banana Pro for image generation, and Virtual Apparel Try On, which allows shoppers to test clothing from billions of listings using a photo.

The search giant said India is the first country outside the U.S. to receive AI Mode with Gemini 3 in Search. The tool, available in eight Indian languages, is designed to handle more complex questions with advanced reasoning and multimodal understanding. The company also noted strong local engagement with AI tools, calling 2025 “the year AI graduated from buzzword to utility,” with Gemini becoming a top trending search.

As part of its annual review, Google shared ‘The A to Z of India’s Year in Search 2025,’ highlighting cultural moments and trending topics. The list includes the film Saiyaara, which became the #1 trending movie search, and actors Aneet Padda and Ahaan Panday, who led entertainment personality searches. Queries tied to larger news events also surged, with ‘What is ceasefire’ becoming the #1 trending meaning search.

The death of actor Dharmendra made him the #10 top overall search and #2 news event of the year. Air quality was a persistent concern, with ‘Air Quality near me’ ranking among the top ‘near me’ queries.

Google said the year reflected India’s ‘mix of future-facing curiosity and cultural engagement,’ noting strong interest in sports, from the IPL to a breakout year for women’s cricket, as well as travel, viral trends and practical daily information.

Other features rolled out globally during the year include Lens in AI Mode, Circle to Search enhancements, Search Live for real-time help via camera, and AI-powered Flight Deals that allow users to describe trips in natural language instead of adjusting filters.

Google said the updates reflect a broader shift as Search evolves from an information retrieval product to an intelligence product, driven by its most advanced Gemini models.