With the year drawing to an end, we explore the moments, people, and trends that sparked curiosity across the Middle East and North Africa. The year 2025 was defined by a massive surge in AI literacy, a continued devotion to football and cricket, and a deep engagement with educational platforms and local drama hits.
Leading this technological wave, Google Gemini topped AI and technology lists across the board, showcasing a huge interest in Generative AI—from general models to specific creative tools like Nano Banana for editing images and Veo for generating videos from text or frames. Let’s have a look at the top trends!
United Arab Emirates
The UAE continues to stand out as a global hub for diverse interests. While cricket fever remained high with the IPL 2025 and the Asia Cup dominating sports searches, the year was truly defined by a tech-savvy population. Google Gemini, DeepSeek, and ChatGPT were among the most searched terms, signaling a society fully embracing the AI revolution. Entertainment also played a huge role, with blockbusters like Coolie and War 2 capturing the nation’s attention.