Google is retiring Gemini's Gems, replacing them with skills

Google has begun telling Gemini users that "Gems," the feature that let people build custom AI assistants for specific tasks, will be replaced by "skills" starting November 17, 2026. According to the notice shown inside the Gemini app, the change is automatic: Google migrates existing Gems to the new format and users are not required to do anything. Gems stay usable until then.

What actually changes

Unlike a Gem, a skill is not tied to one dedicated assistant and can be applied across different AI tasks. The instructions a user wrote are preserved; what changes is how they are called up. In a task thread you have to type a forward slash ("/") and then pick the skill you want. TechCrunch notes that this interface suits engineers more than ordinary users, who are used to simply typing a request to a chatbot.

A feature Google once promoted heavily

Google launched Gems in 2024 so users would not have to repeat the same instructions over and over. Its prebuilt assistants included a learning coach, a brainstorming assistant, a career guide, a coding partner and an editor; users also made their own, such as a running coach, a nutritionist or a vacation planner. In September 2025 Google added sharing for these assistants, hoping they would help popularize the Gemini app.

Why Google is consolidating

The wind-down comes as all-in-one AI agents such as Meta's Muse and Instinct gain traction. TechCrunch argues the episode is another illustration of what it costs Google to give every new AI feature its own name, icon and prominent spot in an app's navigation, only to merge it into something else later. 9to5Google first reported the shutdown on September 27, 2026; TechCrunch confirmed the in-app notice.