Google will shut down Gemini’s Gems for personal accounts and turn them into Skills on November 17. The company says users can continue using their Gems until then.
Google launched Gems in 2024 as custom versions of Gemini. These let users make their own assistants with custom instructions and reference files. A Gem could follow a specific writing style, help with research, or even support a recurring task without requiring users to repeat the same instructions every time in every chat.
Skills will work within Gemini Spark, Google’s personal AI for tasks and workflows. Google describes a Skill as a reusable set of instructions and whatever additional context the user wants it to have. Gemini Spark can automatically use a skill when it sees a related task, or users can activate one with a slash command. The system can also combine multiple Skills for one task.
Google’s published requirements for Skills currently differ from those for Gems. Skills require a personal Google Account belonging to someone 18 or over, an eligible Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription, Gemini Spark access, and the “Keep Activity” setting turned on.
Google says Skills are currently unavailable in the European Economic Area, Nigeria, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Work and school accounts cannot use them.
It’s unclear whether every Gem capability will transfer directly to a matching Skill. For now, users who use Gems should save their instructions and source files, then test them on Skills.
