Hi Reader,

Welcome to the Future Proof newsletter issue 5, your Monday morning espresso, in AI form! (Formerly the Google Sheets Tips newsletter.)

Lots of Gemini and Google Workspace news to share today and a tip on custom instructions. Find it all below, but first a little anecdote from my weekend.

Kids say the funniest things.

My 9-year-old declared over the weekend that he was going to build his own AI company and call his AI tool "Psycho"!

I laughed and told him I loved the name. I was not expecting it, and it made my day.

Honestly, you couldn't come up with a better name that captures our anxious, frenzied world as we careen headlong into this unknown, AI-saturated future.

Perhaps if we all used this name, we'd think twice about following advice from a Psycho 😂.

Anyway, on to today's newsletter...

→ News

I.
​Gems are being replaced by Skills. The transition will happen in November 2026 for personal accounts, March 2027 for Workspace accounts, and June 2027 for Education accounts.

Existing Gems will be automatically re-created as Skills.

Skills are built in the same way as Gems, with a name, description, and custom instructions. But they're more flexible because you can use them in any chat window and use multiple skills together.

II.​
​Google Sheets now supports new types of stock charts. The new charts let you visualize trading ranges at a glance, by combining price points into a single series. Rolling out to everyone over the next month.

III.
​You can now view, edit, and collaborate on Markdown (.md) files in Google Docs!

Last week (Future Proof #4) I shared a quick guide to markdown and how to use Google Docs to export Markdown files. Well, now you can do a whole lot more with Markdown files in Google Workspace.

IV.
​Anthropic have launched Claude for Google Workspace. If you prefer Claude to Gemini, you can install this new add-on and use Claude in the sidebar of your Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Available to all paying Claude users via the Google Workspace marketplace.

→ Future Proof 5: Instructions for Gemini

Last month we looked at Gems (which Google just announced are being replaced by Skills, see #1 under the News section above) and saw how you can give custom instructions to Gemini for specific, repeatable tasks.

But what if you want to implement an instruction across ALL your chats ALL the time?

For example, you might prefer to have concise replies from an AI tool with no follow up questions. Or have it remember that you work as a senior developer so skip the code explanations.

These are Global account instructions that the AI tool applies to all conversations.

With Claude and ChatGPT, everyone, including those on a free plan, can add persistent, account-wide custom instructions.

With Gemini, the picture is more muddled.

Gemini Personal Accounts

Anyone aged 18 or older using a personal Google Account and outside specific excluded regions (the EEA, UK, Switzerland, and Nigeria) can set up and use global custom instructions in Gemini.

Add them: Settings (gear icon) > Personal intelligence > Instructions for Gemini

Gemini Workspace / Education Accounts

As of October 2026, you cannot apply global custom instructions inside the standalone Gemini web app when signed in with a Google Workspace or Education account.

However, paying Workspace / Education users can apply persistent custom instructions inside Workspace apps (through the side panel in Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, and Chat). This feature was introduced recently in September 2026.

These instructions do not need to be re-entered whenever you close your browser or start a new document. They remain active until you turn them off or delete them. They are entirely separate from the standalone Gemini web app.

Here's how to add custom instructions in Google Sheets:

Example Custom Instructions

• I’m a senior engineer. Skip beginner explanations. Give code first, explanation only where the approach is non-obvious.
• I'm a busy manager. Lead with the conclusion, then supporting points. Keep responses to a few short paragraphs unless I ask for depth.
• Use British English spelling. Be direct and concise. Don’t open with pleasantries or close with offers of further help.

Benefits of using Custom Instructions

The main benefit is that you stop repeating yourself because the AI tool knows your preferred format or things you don't want.

Additionally, they may lead to more consistent outputs and fewer follow-ups.

And finally, it makes the AI tool less frustrating to use because you can set it to behave how you want. No more annoying opening pleasantries or corporate language.

If you enjoyed this newsletter, please forward it to a friend who might enjoy it.

Have a great week!

Cheers,
Ben