Tag: family historians

The Secret Weapon in Your Family History Research: Artificial Intelligence

Have you ever thought about how AI might have played a role in your family history research—perhaps without you even noticing? It’s possible that artificial intelligence (AI) has been quietly aiding your family history research all along! It’s fascinating to consider!

AI is revolutionizing the field of genealogy, and you might be surprised by how often you’ve encountered it. For instance, popular platforms like Ancestry.com leverage AI to recommend relevant records (those leafy “hints.”) and unearth potential matches in other family trees. Platforms like 23andMe, AncestryDNA, and MyHeritage use AI to identify potential relatives based on shared DNA.

MyHeritage even offers AI Biographer™, a tool that generates Wikipedia-style biographies of your ancestors using historical records and information from your family tree.

But AI’s contributions extend far beyond these well-known examples. Even if you’re a beginner in genealogy research, several AI tools can become your research companions:

  • Versatility Personified: ChatGPT – This multifaceted AI tackles general genealogy questions and assists you in crafting effective research strategies.
  • Your Genealogical Gemini: Google’s Gemini – Similar to ChatGPT, Gemini offers a helping hand with your genealogical inquiries.
  • The Genealogical Detective, Assistant, and Librarian: Perplexity – Don’t let the name intimidate you! Perplexity is another AI platform that can be your one-stop shop for family history research queries.

These AI tools act as virtual research assistants, prompting you with questions and guiding you through various aspects of genealogy. Additionally, there are AI tools designed specifically for genealogy research:

  • Open GeneaGPT: Your AI Research Assistant – Open GeneaGPT is a tailor-made AI assistant for family history researchers and genealogists.
  • Genealogy Eyes: Unveiling the Stories Hidden in Your Heirlooms – Genealogy Eyes helps you analyze images of documents, headstones, and other genealogical artifacts.

Tips to Kickstart Your AI-Powered Genealogy Journey

  • Embrace the Power of Questions: Begin by using AI platforms to ask basic questions about genealogical research methods.
  • AI-Driven Brainstorming: Let AI help you generate new ideas for uncovering information about your ancestors.
  • Demystifying Genealogy with AI: Don’t hesitate to ask AI to explain unfamiliar genealogical terms or concepts.
  • AI as Your Historical Interpreter: Utilize AI to gain insights into historical documents or understand the context of the time periods you’re researching.

While AI is a powerful tool, it’s crucial to remember that it should complement, not replace, traditional research methods. Always verify the information gleaned from AI with primary sources to ensure the accuracy of your family history.

I hope this revamped blog post, infused with the power of AI, empowers you to delve deeper into your family’s rich tapestry!

The Evolution of My Blog: From Ancestry Stories to Improved Writing Techniques

A few weeks ago I wrote A Look at Time Management and Social Media Strategy. For the past couple of days, I’ve been giving my website a refresher. I searched for “how to rejuvenate a website” and “how to refresh the content of a website” and learned a lot about improving user experience and getting more traffic to my blog.

One of the pro tips was to repurpose older content. Go me! I’ve already been doing that with my posts like Uncovering the Story of Susanna Clark Rootes, My 9th Great Grandmother: A Tale of Witches and New England Founders, Exploring the History of Strawberry Hill: The Stephanz Family and Their Croatian Neighbors, and Tracing the Roots of John MacBean: A Scottish POW’s Journey to America. So, if you’ve been a long-time follower, hang in there if something seems familiar; I am repurposing older content, especially from when I first began blogging in 2017. Since then, I’ve learned a lot, not just about ancestry, but I’ve improved my writing techniques. Wouldn’t my literature teacher be proud?

I have also been more engaged with my fellow family historians and genealogists on their websites, social media accounts, and other websites where others ask questions about their own ancestry and where or how to find something. It still amazes me how many people do not know about their families, even one generation back, or how tracking ancestry works. The number of people jumping to buy DNA tests, thinking they will give all the answers, is mind-boggling. One woman gave a review that her DNA test was terrible because it didn’t tell her who her father was. What?

However, another suggestion to improve my website traffic will have to be put on the back burner for now. It was suggesting a YouTube channel for my business. Not only am I not comfortable doing videos right now, but I just worked on my time management and do not want to add anything else to my plate. Did you know that according to SimilarWeb, YouTube is the 2nd most popular website on the planet? I actually have a YouTube channel. It has two videos on it from when I was teaching children about ancestry.

When visiting my website, you’ll notice a couple of new features. One is a sharing feature to the left of each page.

So, if you are reading something you think a friend or family member would be interested in, click on the icon on the left of your favorite share feature (email, Facebook, messenger, text, and others.) and share the content. Easy peasy!

Second, I have added a “Question or Comment” button. Here, you can quickly email me with questions about a particular blog post (this feature will only be on new blog posts) or a page on the website. You may even have a question about your ancestry. Every blog post currently has a comment feature already, but this box is highlighted on each page, so you can click on it whenever you think of something or see something not quite right about something I posted. Feel free to leave me some kudos, too!

Finally, I added an easy “Subscribe” button to each page. You will already be a subscriber if you receive this post in your email. However, if you are reading this post because you found me through a Google search, please Subscribe so you receive new posts as I publish them. Subscribers also get free access to my Free Resources page.

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As I continue to refine my website and explore new strategies for enhancing user experience, I’m excited to share these updates with you. From repurposing older content to engaging more deeply with the genealogical community, these changes are all part of my ongoing journey to provide valuable and accessible content for fellow family historians. While some suggestions, like creating a YouTube channel, will have to wait, I’m thrilled about the new features that make it easier for you to connect, share, and stay informed. Whether you’re a long-time follower or new to my blog, I hope these updates make your experience even more enjoyable. Don’t forget to subscribe to stay in the loop, and feel free to reach out with any questions or feedback. Here’s to discovering the past together!