Full Breakdown
Google Retires Gemini “Gems” Feature, Migrates Custom Assistants to “Skills”
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Change: Gems to Skills Transition
Google announced that its Gemini “Gems” – custom AI assistants introduced in 2024 – will be retired and automatically converted into “skills.” The migration begins on November 17, 2026, after which the former Gems will no longer appear as a separate panel in the Gemini app. Users can continue to employ their existing Gems until the conversion is complete, after which the functionality will be accessed via the new skills system.
Background on Gemini Gems
Gems were launched as a way for users to teach Gemini specific tasks without repeatedly re-entering instructions. Pre-made Gems included a learning coach, brainstorming assistant, career guide, coding partner, and editor, while users could also create personal Gems such as a running coach or vacation planner. The feature allowed sharing via links, aiming to broaden Gemini’s appeal.
How Skills Differ from Gems
Skills, first introduced with Gemini Spark, serve the same high-level purpose as Gems—providing custom instructions to Gemini—but are invoked by typing a forward slash “/” in the chat prompt. This method is intended to streamline access compared to navigating the side-panel Gems manager. Multiple skills can be used simultaneously, and for Google AI Pro or AI Ultra subscribers, skills can be created directly from the Gemini Spark tab.
User Experience Implications
Google’s migration notice indicates that the transition requires no manual action from users; the system will handle the conversion. However, the slash-based invocation is geared toward users comfortable with command-line-style inputs, which may be less intuitive for casual consumers compared to simply typing natural-language prompts. Early rollout of the “Learn more” help article and the “Create skills” button has shown functionality gaps, suggesting that full integration may still be in progress.
Outlook
The shift reflects Google’s broader strategy to consolidate AI features under fewer brand names, responding to criticism that frequent renaming and reshuffling can confuse users. As the November 2026 deadline approaches, users will need to adapt to the skills interface to maintain their custom AI workflows.