Google Shuts Down Gemini's Gems, Migrates Custom AI Assistants to 'Skills'

Google has announced the shutdown of its Gemini feature known as ‘Gems’, which allowed users to build custom AI assistants for specific tasks. This move comes as all-in-one AI agents like Meta’s Muse and Instinct gain popularity.

The Gems, launched in 2024, were designed to help users teach their AI to perform certain tasks without having to repeat instructions. For instance, some pre-made Gems included a learning coach, brainstorming assistant, career guide, coding partner, and editor. Users could also create custom assistants for their own needs, such as a running coach or nutritionist.

However, the work invested in creating these custom AI assistants won’t be lost. Google will automatically migrate the Gems to ‘skills’ that can be used across different tasks. This change is set to take effect on November 17, 2026, and users won’t need to do anything to make the transition.

The migration process means that the former Gems will remain usable until their scheduled shutdown date. After this point, they’ll become skills that can be accessed through a forward slash ’/’ in a task thread. This user interface is geared more towards engineers than regular users, who may find it less consumer-friendly compared to typing text into a chatbot like Meta’s Muse.

The decision to shut down Gems marks another example of Google’s tendency to give new AI features their own brand names and prominent placement within its app’s navigation, only to merge or discontinue them later. This strategy has been criticized in the past for being confusing and inefficient.

Despite this criticism, Google notes that users will still be able to access their custom AI assistants through the skills feature. However, it remains unclear whether this change will make Gemini more user-friendly or appealing to a wider audience.