Google to replace Gemini Gems with reusable Skills

Google will convert Gemini Gems into slash-invoked Skills, with personal accounts ending in November 2026 and some Workspace accounts later.

Google is retiring Gemini Gems, the custom task-specific assistants launched in 2024, and converting them into reusable Skills invoked by typing a slash in a chat thread. TechCrunch reports a Gemini app notice that Gems become Skills on November 17, 2026, with automatic migration and continued use until that date. The Decoder, two days later, says Skills are rolling out globally, can be drafted from prior chats and chained, follow Anthropic’s open prompt format, and that OpenAI is also retiring Custom GPTs. The sources disagree on the sunset: TechCrunch describes a single November 17, 2026 cutoff, while The Decoder says personal Gems end in November, enterprise and nonprofit Workspace accounts in March 2027, and education accounts in June 2027, all with automatic conversion. The Decoder also says Skills accept text, PDFs, and images, with Drive sharing later, and that Google’s Opal mini-app experiment ends in November. Pre-made Gems included a learning coach, brainstorming assistant, career guide, coding partner, and editor, and custom Gems could be shared; the wind-down was first reported by 9to5Google.

• Gemini Gems, custom task-specific assistants launched in 2024, are being converted into reusable Skills with automatic migration.
• TechCrunch: a Gemini app notice says Gems become Skills on November 17, 2026, and remain usable until then.
• The Decoder: personal Gems end in November; enterprise and nonprofit Workspace accounts in March 2027; education accounts in June 2027.
• Users invoke a Skill by typing a slash in a thread; Gemini can draft Skills from prior chats and chain several together.
• The Decoder says Skills follow Anthropic’s open prompt format and that OpenAI is also retiring Custom GPTs.
• Skills accept text, PDFs, and images, with Drive sharing later; Google’s Opal mini-app experiment ends in November (The Decoder).
• Pre-made Gems included a learning coach, brainstorming assistant, career guide, coding partner, and editor; custom Gems could be shared.
• The wind-down was first reported by 9to5Google.