The distilled version
- Google is shutting down Gemini’s ‘Gems’ custom-assistant feature and automatically converting them into ‘skills’ starting November 17, 2026.
- If your business built a Gem, Google says it will move it over for you, and you don’t need to do anything.
- The catch: using a skill means typing a forward slash in a task thread to select it, a step the report says suits engineers more than everyday users.
What happened
TechCrunch reports that Google is shutting down Gemini’s ‘Gems’ feature, which let users build custom AI assistants for repeat tasks, and replacing it with a new format called ‘skills.’ A message in the Gemini app warns users that Gems will become skills starting November 17, 2026. Google says the migration will happen automatically, so users won’t need to do anything, and existing Gems will keep working until that date.
Gems launched in 2024. Google’s pre-made Gems covered a range of purposes, such as helping with learning, brainstorming, career guidance, coding and editing, while users could also build their own Gems for personal needs like a running coach or a nutritionist, and share those custom assistants with others. Google notes that using a skill means typing a forward slash in a task thread to select it. TechCrunch says that’s less consumer-friendly than simply typing to a chatbot like Meta’s Muse, and the kind of interface engineers tend to prefer.
Why it matters
If anyone on your team built a Gem, for example a customer-reply drafter, a social post writer, or an FAQ assistant, that setup is changing shape even though Google says the content will carry over automatically.
The new slash-command way of picking a skill is an extra step, so staff who rely on one may need a quick heads-up before November 17.
What it means for your business
If you run the business: check whether anyone on your team built a custom Gem for a recurring task. It should carry over automatically, but it’s worth confirming it still works as a ‘skill’ after the change.
What to do
Worth watching- List any Gems your team has built in Gemini and what they’re used for.
- Before November 17, 2026, save an example of what each Gem produces, so you can compare once it becomes a skill.
- Practice using the forward-slash command to select a skill so the change doesn’t slow anyone down.
- Note the date on a calendar and check back once the migration happens to confirm nothing was lost.
Worth watching: no action needed yet; revisit when it matures.
Hype check
The claim: Google says the migration to skills will be automatic and users won’t have to do anything.
The reality: The content should carry over, but using it changes: you now need to type a forward slash in a task thread to select a skill, an interface the source says engineers tend to prefer over simply typing text into a chatbot.
Jargon in this story
Sources
- 1Google is killing off Gemini’s Gems in favor of ‘skills’ (opens in a new tab) · TechCrunch · News report · Sep 28, 2026