Google replaces Gemini's Gems with skills in 2026

Key Takeaways

1Google will convert the Gems from Gemini into skills starting November 17, 2026

2The migration will be automatic and users' work will be preserved

3Activating the skills will require a slash command, which is considered less intuitive for the general public

4The Gems, launched in 2024, were shareable and aimed to avoid repetitive instructions

Why it matters : This change alters the user experience of Gemini while preserving the personalized assistants that have already been created.

Google plans to convert the Gems from Gemini into "skills" and maintain their usage until November 17, 2026. The transition will be automatic and will include a slash command to activate a skill, an interface that Google presents as more suitable for engineers than for the general public.

A Slash Activation to Choose a Skill

Google specifies that users will need to enter a slash “/” in a task thread to select the desired skill. The former Gems, once converted into skills, are described as less user-friendly than direct input in a chatbot like Meta's Muse. This interface is presented as being more appreciated by engineers than by the general public. Gems will remain usable until November 17, 2026.

Timeline and Migration with No Action Required

A message in the Gemini app informs users that Gems will become skills starting November 17, 2026. The Gems will be automatically migrated to this new format and can be used in various AI tasks. Google states that the transition will be managed without user intervention. The work invested in creating the Gems will be preserved during this migration.

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What Gems Were Used For and How They Were Utilized

Introduced in 2024, the Gems feature aimed to give users the ability to teach their AI to perform certain tasks without having to repeat instructions. Google provided pre-configured Gems, including a learning coach, a brainstorming session assistant, a career guidance advisor, a coding partner, and an editor. Users could also design Gems tailored to their own needs, such as a running coach, a nutrition expert, or a travel organizer. These custom assistants could be shared with others, a step that Google envisioned to encourage the adoption of the Gemini app.

A Repositioning That Revives Recurring Criticisms

A recurring criticism targets Google's tendency to multiply brand names, icons, and locations for its features, only to reorganize them later. This behavior is noted as predating AI, as the company has previously operated multiple messaging and communication applications simultaneously. In this context, Google is discontinuing the Gems feature, which allowed the creation of custom AI assistants for specific tasks.