Gemini replaces your Gems with "Skills" from November 17

If you have built an AI assistant yourself in Google Gemini to, for example, write in a certain style or help with a specific job, you have probably used the Gems feature. That feature is now on its way out.

From November 17, Google will begin converting all Gems into something called Skills. This applies both to your own private Gems and to the ready-made templates Google itself has created. The transition happens automatically, so you won't lose the work you have already put into your Gems.

The difference between the two is how you use them. Where a Gem worked as a separate chat you had to select, a Skill can be brought into the middle of a regular conversation by typing a slash (/) followed by its name. Gemini can also recognize on its own when a Skill is relevant and use it automatically. You can also combine several Skills in the same conversation if you need to solve a more complex task.

For regular users with a personal Google account, the switch happens in November. Companies, organizations and public institutions using Google Workspace will only get the same change in March 2027, while educational institutions will wait until June 2027.

In practice, this means most users don't need to do anything. Google automatically migrates the Gems you have already created to the new Skills format when the transition reaches your account. You can, however, also choose to create Skills yourself earlier if you want to get started with the new feature right away.

What it means for you

If you have made Gems in Gemini yourself, the switch to Skills happens automatically, and your work won't disappear. You don't need to do anything right now, but going forward you can bring up your Skills in the middle of a conversation with a slash, or let Gemini find the right one on its own. If you use Gemini through your work or school, the change will come later.