Google to shut down Gems feature in Gemini and move custom assistants to Skills

Google is making changes to the Gems system, which allows users to create AI assistants customized to their own needs within Gemini. According to an announcement shown by the company to Gemini users, Gems support will end as of November 17, and existing structures will be transferred to the new “Skills” infrastructure.

This change does not mean that the custom assistants previously created by users will be completely deleted. According to Google’s information, existing Gems structures will continue to be usable until the migration process is complete. While it is stated that the transfer may take a few days, users are expected to be able to access the customizations they previously prepared under the Skills heading at the end of the process.

UNCERTAINTY FOR FREE USERS

The most curious aspect of the change is the access conditions. In its current structure, Gems could be used by Gemini users, including free account holders. However, as of the time this news was published, the Skills infrastructure and the Gemini Spark feature linked to this structure are only offered to Google AI Pro or Ultra subscribers.

It is not yet clear whether Google will grant access rights to free users after migrating the Gems created by them to Skills. If Skills access is not opened to free accounts, a paid subscription may be required to continue using custom assistants that were previously created for free.

The company is expected to clarify the details regarding the transition process in the coming period. The critical point for users will be how custom assistants will be preserved after November 17 and which account types they will be available on.