Google to replace Gemini Gems with Skills in November
Google says Gemini's Gems feature will become Skills on November 17, letting users invoke custom instructions with a slash command and run several at once.
Google plans to retire Gems, the custom-instruction feature in Gemini. It will replace Gems with "skills" starting November 17, according to a notice 9to5Google found in the Gems manager.
Skills are invoked with a "/" in the prompt box. Unlike Gems, several can run at once, rather than through a separate side panel, according to 9to5Google. Google will migrate existing Gems automatically, and current users can keep using them until the transition finishes.
Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers can already build skills through the Gemini app's Spark tab, 9to5Google said. But the outlet found the support documentation and the "Create skills" button were not yet working, a sign the announcement went out earlier than Google intended.
Google has not announced the change publicly beyond the in-app notice. No other outlet has confirmed the November 17 date. Gems previously let users set default tools, such as Create Image or Canvas, and attach files for context, with links to share a Gem.