Gems: your custom Gemini.
Gems are Gemini's answer to Custom GPTs — purpose-built assistants with their own instructions and knowledge sources. The twist: a Gem can reference your Workspace — Drive, Gmail, Calendar — so it already knows your work context. That power comes with one rule you have to get right before you share.
A Custom GPT that already knows your Workspace.
With a Custom GPT you upload files explicitly. A Gem can point at your live Drive folders, Gmail, and Calendar — so it builds on your actual materials without re-uploading. The flip side: a Gem inherits your access, which is exactly why sharing takes care.
You upload knowledge files. It only knows what you paste in.
Points at your live Workspace data. Already knows your context — and can reach whatever your account can.
Wire instructions to a source.
Research Assistant
"Research partner for [your industry]. Reference my materials in [Drive folder] before generating, and cite sources."
Email Voice
"Write in my voice — conversational, direct, no 'I hope this finds you well.' Use the thread I share. Under 80 words unless I say so."
Onboarding Buddy
"Answer how [Company] works using only /OnboardingDocs. Cite the doc. If unsure, say 'check with your manager.'" → share with the team.
A Gem inherits your access.
Each Gem below works great. But sharing one hands teammates whatever it can reach. For each, decide: Share with team or Keep private.
When is it worth building one?
Skills are coming for Gems. On September 30, 2026 Google added skills to Gemini chat: reusable instructions you can build from a conversation, that Gemini runs automatically when a prompt matches, and that can be stacked together. Google's release notes say skills will eventually replace Gems, with existing Gems migrated automatically when Gems is retired. Skills launched for users 18+ globally with a phased rollout, so you may not see them yet; Gems still work today. Everything on this page about scoping sources and sharing carefully carries over.
Permissions: a Gem can only see what your account can — verify you've actually shared the right folder. Maintenance: team-shared Gems drift, so review instructions and prune outdated source docs quarterly.
Build your first useful Gem
Pick a recurring task you do in Gemini. Build a Gem for it — 15 minutes on instructions and the right source folder. Use it for a week and notice the jump from default Gemini. If it's team-useful and its sources are already shared, share it.
What you can do now
- Build a Gem from name, instructions, knowledge sources, and examples
- Wire a Gem to the right Workspace data (a Drive folder, etc.)
- Decide what belongs in a Gem vs. a one-off chat
- Share Gems only when their sources are already shared — keep inbox/sensitive ones private
- Review team Gems quarterly: refresh instructions, prune stale sources