Google is discontinuing its Gemini Gems feature, which allowed users to create custom AI assistants for specific tasks. The company plans to migrate existing Gems into a new format called skills, which will be integrated across various AI operations.
The transition is scheduled to take place on November 17, 2026. Google will handle the migration automatically, meaning users do not need to perform any manual actions to preserve their previously created custom assistants.
Gems were originally launched in 2024 to enable users to teach the AI to perform repetitive tasks, such as acting as a learning coach, coding partner, or vacation planner. These assistants could also be shared with other users.
Under the new system, users will access these capabilities by typing a forward slash in a task thread to select a specific skill. This interface change aims to streamline how users interact with custom AI functions within the Gemini app.
