Google replaces Gemini Gems with Skills that can run automatically

From saved prompts to reusable workflows

Users can call a Skill by typing / followed by its name. Gemini can also create Skills from earlier chats and run them when it detects a relevant request. Multiple Skills can be combined for more complex tasks, such as pairing a writing style with brand rules.

Skills can use text documents, PDFs and images as reference material. Google plans to add sharing, Google Drive files and Gemini Notebook integration in the coming weeks. Workspace customers in business, education and nonprofit organizations will get access later.

A gradual retirement

Personal accounts will lose Gems in November. For business and nonprofit Workspace customers, the shutdown is scheduled for March 2027; education customers follow in June 2027. Existing Gems will be converted automatically.

Google is also closing Opal in November. The AI mini-app experiment launched in summer 2025.

I think the key change is not the new name but the move from manually invoked saved prompts to Skills Gemini can create and run on its own. That makes the feature sound more agent-like, but the announcement says little about how users will control automatic execution or inspect what Gemini has built from past chats. Those details will determine whether Skills feel like useful workflow shortcuts or opaque behavior layered onto Gemini.