Google Workspace skills roll out to Gmail, Docs, Slides, Drive and Chat
Google is rolling out skills across Google Workspace, it said on November 10. A skill is a set of reusable instructions that tells Gemini how to apply your team's rules, templates and reference files.
You can build a skill in Google Workspace Studio from scratch or from a template, then test how it drafts an email, a document or a presentation before you turn it on. You can also write skills in Google Docs, or ask Gemini to make one inside Gmail, Docs, Slides, Drive or Chat. Once a skill is on, Gemini can use it when it fits your request, or you can call one or more with an @ mention. Skills can also start Workspace Studio flows that run by hand or on a schedule.
Sharing a skill gives a teammate their own copy to change. If the skill uses Drive files, you must share those files too. Skills do not yet work in Google Sheets or Google Meet, and they take English instructions only.
Admins find skills on by default for eligible editions and can turn them off by domain, unit or group. Rapid Release domains get them from November 9 and Scheduled Release domains from November 30, each over up to 15 days.
What it means for your work
- For marketing and sales teams: Turn your brand voice guide into a skill so every draft starts on tone.
- For project leads: Make a status update skill and link it to a weekly Studio flow.
- For admins: Decide on external sharing, and use the new log events to watch skill activity.
Gems in the Gemini app are also becoming skills. See our report on Gemini Gems turning into skills.