September 2026 Recap: Gemini Skills, Slides Recording, and Expanded AI Controls

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September 2026 brought significant workflow shifts to Google Workspace, headlined by the transition from Gemini Gems to reusable Skills, native presentation recording in Google Slides, and enhanced administrative controls for data protection. Here is a recap of the most impactful Google Workspace updates released in September.

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You can also check our video with the updates:

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The Evolution of Gemini Capabilities

• Gemini Skills Replace Gems: Google is phasing out Gemini Gems in favor of a new feature called Skills. Skills are reusable custom instructions that function inline within your standard Gemini workflows. Unlike Gems, which isolated workflows, Skills can be layered and stacked within a single prompt (e.g., using a "vendor evaluator" skill alongside an "executive email drafter" skill). Skills begin rolling out in early October, and Gems will be permanently removed no sooner than March 1, 2027.
• Expanded Custom Instructions: The ability to set persistent custom instructions for Gemini is no longer limited to Google Docs. This feature has been expanded to Google Drive, Chat, Slides, Sheets, Gmail, and the side panel. This ensures Gemini maintains your preferred style, tone, and formatting across the entire Workspace ecosystem.

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Meeting and Presentation Enhancements

• Record in Slides via Google Vids: Users can now record presentations directly within the Google Slides interface. Powered by Google Vids, a new "Record" option provides a quick recording workflow that generates an immediate shareable link. Users can also transition seamlessly into Google Vids to add voiceovers and perform post-recording edits.
• One-Click Co-Presenters in Meet: Adding a co-presenter in Google Meet is now an automated, one-click process. When a participant uses trigger phrases like "can you please add me as a co-presenter" or "next slide, please," Gemini will surface a nudge in the main presenter's Ask Gemini panel to grant co-presenter access instantly (available when the main presenter is using Chrome or Edge).
• Quick Notes Default View: The "Take notes for me" feature in Meet now defaults to a high-level "Quick notes" tab. This provides users with the essential takeaways in both the generated Google Doc and the summary email. The comprehensive, detailed meeting notes and transcripts remain available on a secondary tab within the same document.

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Granular Administrative Controls

• Sharing Boundaries for Data Protection: Administrators can now configure specific audience restrictions for unified data protection rules. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, admins can block sharing with all external users, block all sharing except for specific internal departments (such as HR), or explicitly block specific organizational units (OUs) and groups.
• Gemini Notebook External Sharing: Google admins now have granular control over external sharing for Gemini Notebooks. The setting has moved from a global toggle to four distinct options: completely off, restricted to trusted domains, open to specific external email addresses, or fully public via link sharing. These can be applied at the domain, OU, or group level.

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Optimize Your Workspace

These updates represent a major shift in how AI prompts are managed and how organizational data is protected.

If you need assistance navigating the transition from Gemini Gems to Skills, configuring the new data protection rules, or leveraging Google Vids in Slides, contact the experts at Cloudasta.

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