The Evolution of AI in Google Workspace: From Gems to Skills

Creation of a skill from Google Docs using the Skill Builder tool.

As artificial intelligence embeds itself deeper into daily workflows, personalizing instructions for recurring tasks is evolving toward more powerful and versatile standards. Google has announced the arrival of Skills to the Gemini app and the Google Workspace ecosystem, a new reusable instruction format that will progressively replace traditional Gems.

What are Skills and why are they replacing Gems?

Skills are saved sets of reusable instructions designed to guide Gemini through specific tasks, from drafting reports in your company’s corporate tone to analyzing complex operational data.

While Gems allowed users to customize the model’s behavior, Skills represent a qualitative leap in interoperability, flexibility, and creation:

Open and portable standard (SKILL.md): Skills are built entirely on the native Markdown standard SKILL.md. This means they are 100% portable: you can copy and reuse instructions created on other platforms directly within Gemini and Google Workspace.
Deep integration: They allow you to structure repetitive processes with a higher level of control and precision across Workspace apps and in Workspace Studio automations.

Technical note on synchronization: Currently, Skills created in the Gemini app and those created within Google Workspace apps operate independently. If you want to use a skill on both platforms, you must create it in each environment.

Transition timeline and Gems to Skills migration

Google has established a clear schedule to ensure a smooth transition for organizations:

October 5, 2026: New features will begin rolling out in Workspace, with full deployment expected by mid-November.
October 13, 2026: New features will begin rolling out in the Gemini app, with full deployment expected by mid-November.
November 17, 2026: Gems move to the Settings panel in the Gemini app, but users can continue creating, editing, and using them.
Starting March 1, 2027 (Enterprise only): Gems can no longer be created, edited, or used, and will be removed from the Settings panel in the Gemini app. Workspace Studio flows with the “Ask a Gem” step will stop working. Remaining Gems in the Gemini app will be automatically migrated to draft skills in the Gemini app.
Starting June 1, 2027 (Education only): Gems can no longer be created, edited, or used, and will be removed from the Settings panel in the Gemini app, as well as from Google Classroom and supported third-party learning management systems (LMS) with Gemini LTI™. Workspace Studio flows that include the “Ask a Gem” step will stop working. Remaining Gems in the Gemini app will be automatically migrated to the draft skills section.

What will happen to your existing Gems

Manual option (Recommended): You can manually recreate your current Gems as Skills to immediately start leveraging the flexibility of the Markdown format.
Automatic migration: Toward the end of the transition process, Gems remaining in the Gemini app will automatically migrate to draft skills within the platform.
Workspace Studio workflows: Automated workflows using the “Ask a Gem” step will stop working once the transition is complete, so they must be updated to use the equivalent Skills action.

Availability and account requirements

The Skills feature will be available to a wide range of Google Workspace licenses:

Business: Starter, Standard, and Plus.
Enterprise: Starter, Standard, and Plus.
Education Sector: Accounts with the Google AI Pro for Education add-on.*
Individual Accounts: Available for users with personal Google plans.

*Skills in Workspace will be available for users aged 18 and older, while in the Gemini app they will apply to all ages.

Prepare for the arrival of Skills with G Nerd

Migrating your AI workflows to the new Skills standard will allow your company to standardize operational processes, share best practices among team members, and increase the efficiency of your automations. At G Nerd, we assist you in auditing your current Gems, managing the technical migration of your Workspace Studio workflows, and training your team to create high-impact Skills.

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