[Digital Today reporter Jae-won Choi (최재원)] Google will gradually discontinue Gems, a custom AI feature in Gemini, and integrate it into a new Skills system. Existing Gems created by users will be migrated automatically, allowing them to keep using them without additional steps.

On Sept. 28 (local time), IT media outlet TechCrunch reported that the Gemini app is displaying a notice saying Gems in personal accounts will be converted to Skills starting Nov. 17. Google explained, "We will automatically migrate existing Gems to the new format, and users can use the existing features until the conversion."

Introduced in 2024, Gems is a custom AI feature that lets users pre-set Gemini's behavior and instructions for specific tasks. Google provided defaults such as a study coach, brainstorming helper, career guide, coding partner and editor, and users could create their own Gems and share them with others.

The new Skills also saves frequently used prompts to have the AI work in a specific way, but its scope of use will broaden. Users can type '/' in Gemini chat to call up the desired skill, and they can also use multiple skills together in a single conversation. Google's official help page says Gemini will also offer a feature that automatically determines and applies highly relevant skills.

Google will phase out Gems step by step, starting with personal accounts. Workspace business, enterprise and non-profit accounts are set to be converted to Skills in March 2027, and education accounts in June of the same year.

This change is seen as a move by Google to reorganise AI features it has operated under separate names into a more integrated work system.