Google Chrome just launched AI 'Skills' to let you use your favorite prompts across the web — here's how to build your own

If you opened your browser this morning and saw a new icon in your Gemini side panel, you may have noticed that Google has officially retired the "Extension" label for Gemini in favor of a new system called Skills.

While "Skills" may seem new, users have enjoyed using them for awhile. Now though, they're in a new location with a better way to stay organized. In other words, this isn't new technology, but I have a feeling you're going to like it.

Here's how to get started with Skills and why they're a game changer for personalizing your AI-powered workflows in Chrome.

Extensions vs. Skills: What actually changed?

While the transition feels like a simple name change, the shift from the 2025 "Extensions" model to the 2026 "Skills" architecture changes four key areas of your browsing:

• From one-offs to momentum: Extensions required you to type out your prompt every single time. Skills are saved and repeatable; once you perfect a prompt, you save it as a Skill and trigger it instantly with a / command.
• From internal apps to the open web: Extensions were mostly limited to Google’s internal apps like Gmail and Drive. Skills are universal, allowing Gemini to audit prices on Amazon, summarize PDFs in your browser or convert recipes on independent blogs.
• From chatting to agentic action: Extensions only did exactly what you asked in the moment. Skills are designed for "Agent Mode," where Gemini 3.1 Pro can autonomously "choose" the right skill from your library to complete a multi-step goal without your intervention.
• From standard to personalized: Extensions were pre-built by Google. Skills are user-centric; you can build your own specialized shortcuts, share them with colleagues, or download community-created "Skills" from the new Library.

The real reason for the change

The main reason for this shift is because of Agent Mode. In the old system, an Extension was a tool you had to pick up and use yourself. In the new Gemini 3.1 Pro ecosystem, Gemini acts as the "Foreman."

When you give it a complex goal — like "Plan my business trip to London under $2,000," Gemini looks at its Skills Library and chooses which "Skill" to deploy for each step.

It uses a Calendar Skill to check your availability, a Search Skill to find flights and a Chrome Web Skill to scrape hotel reviews. When Personal Intelligence is enabled, you are not only saving prompts, but teaching the AI how to handle specific tasks autonomously.

The secret that many are glossing over is that a "Skill" is basically just a saved prompt. If you have spent months typing, "Summarize this page into three bullet points," or "Find the shipping policy on this site," you have already been using Skills — you just had to type them out manually every time.

Google has finally realized that users are sick of typing and retyping the same thing over again, we want buttons that do the work. By rebranding to "Skills," Google is moving away from the idea of AI as a chat box and toward AI as a utility belt.

How to build your own 'Skill'

Google offers a huge library of preset Skills, but creating your own Skills that align with your habits and workflow can make all the difference.

To make your own Skill, do the following:

• Run a prompt. Type something you use every day in the Gemini side panel (e.g., "Read this recipe and give me a grocery list formatted for my phone").
• Click "Save as Skill." The new icon appearing at the bottom of your chat window.
• Name it. Now, whenever you're on a website, just type / followed by your skill name.

Gemini will instantly apply your custom logic to the live website, whether it’s a shopping cart, a news site, or a technical manual.

To get the most out of the update, try creating these three custom shortcuts now:

• The auditor (/audit): "Scan this product page for fake reviews and find the historical price low."
• The zimplifier (/simplify): "Explain the technical jargon or legal terms on this page in two sentences."
• The content ghost (/post): "Turn the key findings of this article into a LinkedIn post in my specific writing style."

The takeaway

Don't let the marketing fool you, "Skills" aren't new today, but the way you use them now is new. You're getting a better way to organize the AI you already have. By turning your best prompts into "Skills," Chrome can be even more helpful and remember how you like to work.

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