Google is moving Gemini's custom instructions from Gems to Skills, reusable modular components in the Gemini app and Google Workspace. Its Workspace admin help page says Skills will replace Gems in 2027. The practical benefit is using instructions within an existing conversation and combining several Skills in one request, instead of opening a separate Gem conversation each time.
The format is Markdown-based and named SKILL.md. Users invoke a Skill by typing "/" followed by its name in chat; Google says the character will later become "@". Unlike Gems, the mechanism is also intended for Workspace apps. This offers a more consistent way to define instructions for recurring tasks, without guaranteeing that every component works in every context without adjustment.
Rollout dates are different from retirement dates
Google's original schedule set Workspace Rapid Release rollout for October 5 to 12, 2026. The Gemini app rollout was scheduled to start October 13 and finish by mid-November. Workspace Scheduled Release domains were scheduled to begin October 19, also finishing by mid-November. These are dates from the published plan, rather than confirmation that every account has already received access. In its October 13 update, Google said the Workspace rollout was delayed until further notice. The Gemini app rollout retains its October 13 start and mid-November target.
During the transition, users can create and use both Gems and Skills. For Workspace accounts, the schedule places Gems in Gemini's Settings area on November 17, 2026, with continued use from there. Check the account type before applying an organizational timetable: personal, business and education accounts do not necessarily pass through the same stages together.
What happens in 2027, and what to prepare
For business and enterprise, Gems retirement is set no earlier than March 1, 2027. At that stage, Gems will disappear from Settings, and Workspace Studio flows containing an "Ask a Gem" step will stop working. Remaining Gems will automatically become draft Skills, but creators must review and activate them. A generated draft is different from an active workflow ready for use.
For education, retirement will begin no earlier than June 1, 2027. It also covers removal from Google Classroom and learning platforms using Gemini LTI. "No earlier than" dates are not guaranteed final deadlines. They establish an earliest point, so account and organizational notices should still be checked before planning a migration around a particular day.
A practical first step is to list Gems used for recurring work, identify their owners and check whether any active workflow depends on "Ask a Gem." Then prepare an equivalent Skill and test it on a familiar task. That evaluates the transition through instructions and output, rather than a new menu label alone. Keep the original instructions so they can be compared with the draft before activation.