Google calls this an upgrade, but for anyone still on a free account, it may just be a downgrade with a nicer name.
Google confirmed on September 27, 2026, that Gems are being sunset for Skills. The company will pull the plug on Gems in November. The fine print, however, raises a real question about who actually gets access.
What actually happens to your Gems?
For those catching up, Gems arrived as Gemini’s answer to custom GPTs in August 2024. They let you save a set of instructions as a reusable assistant without rewriting them every time. While Skills build on that very idea, they lean into Gemini being proactive, recognizing what a task needs rather than waiting to be told.
Starting November 17, Google will automatically convert every Gem into a Skill. Your existing Gems will keep working right up until then.
The good thing here is that Skills behave more like shortcuts than Gems ever did: type a slash, then an @, and Gemini either pulls the right one by itself or lets you stack a few together in a single chat.
Who’s actually allowed to use skills?
Here’s the catch, though, and it stings. Gems have always been free for anyone with a Google account. However, Skills now require a Google AI Pro ($19.99 per month) or Ultra subscription ($99.99 per month), plus access to Gemini Spark.
You also need to be over 18, on a personal account rather than a school or work account, and outside the EU, UK, Switzerland, or Nigeria. Skills aren’t available in these regions yet.
Google hasn’t said whether the subscription gate is permanent or temporary. It also didn’t say how free users with a dozen Gems will survive once Skills roll out to paid customers only.