Google is discontinuing the Gemini feature called “Gems,” which allowed users to create custom AI assistants for specific tasks. These personalized assistants helped users automate activities such as coaching, brainstorming, coding, and editing. Gems launched in 2024 and could be shared with others to expand their usefulness. The company announced that starting November 17, 2026, Gems will transition into “skills,” a new format designed to be usable across various AI tasks within the Gemini app.

The migration will be automatic, so users do not need to take any action to preserve their work. Until the official cutoff date, Gems will remain functional and accessible. However, the new skills interface will require users to enter a forward slash (“/”) in a task thread to select the relevant skill, a system Google acknowledges could be less intuitive for everyday consumers compared to simply typing a chatbot prompt. This change is part of Google’s ongoing refinement of its AI offerings to better compete with comprehensive AI agents emerging from companies like Meta.

Google’s decision to retire Gems comes as all-in-one AI systems such as Meta’s Muse and Instinct gain popularity, offering more seamless user experiences. The company’s approach reflects a broader challenge in its AI strategy—introducing many distinct features with separate brandings and interfaces, then needing to consolidate or restructure them later. This pattern has been seen in past Google product efforts, particularly with messaging apps, where fragmentation has sometimes deterred user adoption.

Despite the adjustment, the core idea behind Gems lives on through skills, which extend Gemini’s functionality with a more centralized and cross-task approach. The shift is intended to streamline AI utility and help Gemini keep pace with rivals. Users of the Gemini app are advised to prepare for the transition and familiarize themselves with using skills in the updated system once the migration completes in November 2026.