Google Gemini Gems Are Being Replaced by Skills in 2026
Google is preparing to retire Gems, the Gemini feature that lets users create custom AI assistants for specific tasks. Instead of deleting those personalized assistants, Google will automatically convert them into a new format called skills, allowing users to continue using their work across different AI-powered tasks.
The change is being announced inside the Gemini app, where users are seeing a notice explaining that Gems will become skills starting November 17, 2026. Until that date, existing Gems will remain available and usable. Google says the migration will happen automatically, so users do not need to manually rebuild or transfer anything.
Gems launched in 2024 as a way to make Gemini more personalized. The idea was simple: instead of repeatedly typing the same instructions into a chatbot, users could create a dedicated AI assistant with a specific role or purpose. Google also offered ready-made Gems, including tools for learning, brainstorming, career advice, coding support, and editing.
Users could also build their own Gems for everyday needs. A person might create a running coach to help plan workouts, a nutrition assistant for meal ideas, or a travel planner for vacation research. These custom AI assistants could be shared with others, which was part of Google’s effort to make Gemini more useful and appealing to a wider audience.
By moving Gems into skills, Google appears to be simplifying how custom AI functions work inside Gemini. Rather than keeping Gems as a separate feature with its own branding and placement, the company is folding the concept into a broader system that can be used in more places.
However, the transition may also make the feature feel less approachable for casual users. Google says users will need to type a forward slash, “/”, inside a task thread to choose the skill they want to use. That kind of command-based interface may feel familiar to developers or power users, but it is not always intuitive for people who expect to simply type a request into an AI chatbot.
The shutdown of Gems also highlights a recurring challenge for Google: launching new products and features with distinct names, only to later merge, rename, or retire them. This pattern has appeared across several Google services over the years, and now it is happening inside the company’s AI ecosystem as well.
For Gemini users, the key takeaway is that Gems are not disappearing completely. They are being transformed into skills, and Google says existing custom assistants will carry over automatically. Still, the change marks the end of Gems as a standalone Gemini feature and signals Google’s continued effort to reorganize its AI tools around more flexible, task-based systems.
