What are GEMs?

One helper, one job

A general assistant will do anything you ask, which means you have to ask well every time. A GEM has the asking already done: the role, the rules and the output format are configured once, so anyone can use it without knowing how to write an instruction.

It is the same idea as a skill, but packaged as its own named helper sitting in the tool, ready to open.

The jobs GEMs suit

• Background research on a company, supplier or requirement, always reported in the same sections.
• A standing report somebody asks for on request rather than on a schedule.
• Images to a set style — site photos tidied, simple diagrams, consistent thumbnails.
• A first-pass check on a document before it goes to the person who signs it.

Why we use them for research

Research is where inconsistency costs the most, because you cannot see what was missed. A GEM given a fixed set of questions — who they are, what they are accredited for, what the risks look like, what is unclear — comes back in the same shape every time, so gaps are visible.

It still needs a person. Anything the GEM reports as a fact about a business, a price or an obligation gets confirmed at the source before it is relied on.

When to use something else

If the task needs settings and a screen, use an artifact. If it needs to be presented to a group, use a site. If it is a strict procedure with checks, a skill is the honest choice. GEMs are for narrow, standing jobs somebody triggers when needed.