My Complicated Relationship With AI Creations in Genealogy

Linda Stufflebean, (Empty Branches on the Family Tree) recently posted MyHeritage Introduces Family Infographics and Tribute Reels. Family Infographics uses your family tree and photos to create an AI generated piece of artwork. Tribute reels use photos to create a visual story of the subject. It was really interesting to see these new features in action! Her post got me thinking...

MyHeritage has been at the forefront when it comes to engaging users with AI features. They provide many AI-assisted tools including:

• Colorizing and enhancing photos
• Estimating dates of old photos (PhotoDater™)
• Animating photos (Deep Nostalgia™)
• Creating animated video clips from a photo (LiveMemory™)
• Transcribing and analyzing an uploaded document (Scribe AI)
• Turning a series of photos into a visual story (Tribute Reels)
• Using tree information and photos to create shareable artwork (Family Infographics)

I readily embrace using AI for many tasks:

• Formatting data just the way I like
• Newspaper or document transcriptions
• Helping me come up with a catchy title or SEO description for my posts. 
• Searching for public information on an ancestor, and providing me with research suggestions
• Double checking my blog post for grammar and punctuation

Just to be clear, I do not ask AI to create my blog content for me. While it's certainly capable of generating a post in just seconds, I prefer to do my own writing. And I never use AI as a source for facts in my tree. It's just not reliable enough yet. When it comes to genealogy, AI is no substitute for actual research. As I sit here looking over this list, I realize, most of my uses for AI are data-driven.

When it comes to photos, artwork and animations (the creative side of AI), I've steered clear of using it. I truly prefer photos as close to the originals as possible. For me, even the hue of a photo tells a story. The faded colors, speckles, spots and creases all add character. I don't really care for colorized photos (though I do understand the appeal). I've dabbled with minimal photo enhancement, but I generally stay as true to the original as I can.

When it comes to animated photos (or worse, talking animations)...well...truth be told, they creep me out more than a little. I enjoy studying the subject(s) of old photos, dissecting the minute details and shadows like a fine piece of art. But I don't enjoy those same subjects turning their heads, moving or talking to me. I'd rather let my imagination bring photos to life, much as the subjects and recipients of the originals would have done. 

For ages, family historians have shared GEDCOMs, hand typed remembrances, or even summaries created by the software and websites we choose to use. Family histories may be passed out at reunions, or even published in a tidy little book and distributed to family members. But in most cases, information provided in this manner is merely a distillation of facts (perhaps with a few photos thrown in for good measure). It does little to bring our ancestors to life. While genealogists certainly appreciate any and all details we can get our hands on, the vast majority of our family probably finds these same details boring. Younger generations, with far more exposure to AI-assisted creations, might well find these new AI creations far more captivating than traditional presentations of family facts. I could easily see how they might even inspire a new generation of family historians! 

Another very real benefit may be for the older generations (meaning those who do not readily use computers or smartphones for much more than email). I realize this population is rapidly shrinking, and with them so do the memories they have tucked away. Animations or colorful artwork may very well spark something within them. Perhaps they'll say "Aunt Edna's nose isn't quite right" or "My grandpa's eyes were a more brilliant blue," and segue into stories we've never heard before. While they may be very interested in the facts, they may not have the computer skills, eyesight or knowledge to do research on their own. AI-generated content may be very intriguing to them (even if they don't understand how it's done). Grandparents often proudly point out pictures of their children and grandchildren, or drawings created by little ones and they might very well do the same with colorful artwork about an ancestor. 

While MyHeritage isn't the only site to integrate AI tools for users, it certainly is the leader of the pack in genealogy. FamilySearch.org is also ahead of the curve with their Full Text Search. Their AI integration was done with thought and purpose and has been beyond helpful for many family historians. In this arena, Ancestry and FindMyPast both offer photo colorization and restoration and a few other AI features, but they don't compare to MyHeritage in scope, or FamilySearch in usability. I'll probably continue to focus on data-driven uses for AI. But I'll watch quietly from the wings as others share their photo, artwork and video creations. It will be interesting to see how each of the big four companies move forward, maximizing and expanding the capabilities of AI functions for family historians.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to check grammar and punctuation, provide minor titling assistance, and creation of the brief description of this post. All content is entirely my own.

Image by Artapixel from Pixabay

Ancestry API Changes and Why Backups Matter

API stands for Application Programming Interface. It’s a set of rules allowing different software applications to "talk" to each other. Think of it as a translator that helps different programs exchange data smoothly.

In the case of Ancestry, they have a private API. This means only select third-party companies can use it. Currently, RootsMagic and Family Tree Maker have business agreements allowing API-based syncing with Ancestry. Both programs have the ability to add, delete and change data in your Ancestry tree, so accuracy and security are vitally important. Other programs may have more open APIs, and developers may be encouraged to use their APIs to expand their functionality. A good example of this is Legacy Family Tree. While they don't have their own API, they use APIs from other services to offer more features in their software.

As of April 2026, the transition to Ancestry's new API is complete. This should improve the reliability, performance and security of how both RootsMagic and Family Tree Maker function during synchronization. While it's tempting not to update, especially when those updates have a tangible cost and you may be perfectly happy with the performance of an older version — it's important to do so if you plan on continuing to synchronize trees. 

For RootsMagic, you currently need version 11.2.0 or later. If you need to update, head over to their blog for more information on how to obtain the update. If you use Family Tree Maker, FTM2024 was developed with the new API in mind. Versions prior to 2017 no longer sync.

On another note —  please remember to back up your desktop files and media. Regardless of whether you use the latest software version, things can and will go wrong. You always want a recent backup in case you need to restore. This goes for any genealogy software you may be using, even if it's not RootsMagic or FTM. Having a solid backup plan is essential. I recommend three locations. For me, those locations include my computer, a USB drive, and cloud backups.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to create the title, SEO description, and minor grammatical changes for better readability. The content of the post is my own.

Image by zeeve platform from Pixabay

Exploring A Lesser-Known Genealogy Resource: Sorted By Name

Occasionally, rather than using the search feature on any given big genealogy site, I'll do a Google search instead. Quite often, the top results will lead right back to one of the big sites. But, if you persevere, and scroll far enough, or jump page by page, sometimes you'll find a new resource to check out. Such was the case when I stumbled on Sorted By Name.

To be very clear, this smaller site aggregates public records derived from other sites. It does not claim to be everything for everyone. It does not claim to be a complete listing of anything. Nor does it have a fancy user interface (far from it!) It also does not provide addresses or phone number (as most databases of public information tend to do). It does provide summary information, and links for various record sets (but they don't appear to be super recent.) There's a nice range of years from the mid 1800's to the later1900's, though some states don't seem to be well represented. And if you're really ambitious, you can actually download the source files (but unless you have dreams of being a webmaster yourself, you won't need to). 

The main landing page is simplistic. For the sake of testing the site out, I used 2 names from my mother's side of the family, followed by 2 from my father's. Each search dropped me on the page with the correct surname, but I still had to scroll (or use Ctrl+F) to find the given name on the page. And in one case, I had to move a couple pages ahead (so the search was close, but not spot-on to the correct page). The first 4 searches I did weren't really helpful. Then I tried using my grandfather's name, and it did return 2 results. There was no new information for me though.

I noticed many results seemed to be from an area where my ex-husband has relatives (Missouri), so I tried a name from his side of my tree and finally had success! Was it an earthshattering wonderful result? No, it was simply a confirmation of a SSN and birth in 1885. I tried another name from his mother's side of the family, and again was rewarded with an accurate result. I was pleasantly surprised when search result showed this (I blanked out part of the Social Security number....I know it's public information but still.....):

Again, not earthshattering, but it was interesting to see the various iterations of the daughter's name spelled out. Encouraged, I spent a little time searching for 2 people I know had several marriages each, and where I'm missing the given name for some of the spouses. Sadly, my luck did not continue.

My results were slightly more miss than hit. While search capability is very limited (NO fancy filtering or full text search on this site), the simplistic format of results wasn't entirely displeasing to me (or perhaps the simple HTML site just brings back nostalgic memories of my first website). They claim to have over 400 million entries, and say search engines do not index all their pages. I noticed some areas tended to be represented better than others. New York and Missouri seemed to show up fairly frequently. While Ohio and Florida were less represented in my particular searches.

The site is free to use, and while it certainly wouldn't be my first stop for day to day research, when I find myself doing the same searches over and over on Ancestry, I might just head over to see if anything different pops up on Sorted By Name. Because really, can one ever have enough free resources to investigate? I think not! Cracking a brick wall might happen in the most unexpected place. And sometimes, a change in how data is presented can make something you might not have noticed suddenly click. 

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with the title and search description for this post. All post content was created and written entirely by me. 

Thinking About the FamilySearch Crash Course at Family History Daily? Read This First

Family History Daily just announced a new online course. It's called the FamilySearch Crash Course. Before I go into more detail, Family History Daily has a wealth of free information! Their main landing page has lots of articles, and the main menu includes Free Genealogy resources, Beginner Help, and Expert Guides. These are definitely worth checking out! You can learn a lot from their free articles, all without spending a dime.

Several years ago, I was looking for an online course to help me improve my research. I was restarting my tree, and wanted to learn more, so I could feel more confident. I originally found the site while evaluating various course options. At the time, they offered lifetime access (including to any future courses) for just shy of $150. I signed up, and diligently worked through all the courses. I learned a lot, and I definitely became a better researcher! I've enjoyed the periodic releases of new courses, and I've always taken time to work through each new course, because we never know it all. And we can all benefit from continued learning. 

While they still offer complete access to all courses, it's now $240 per year. You can still purchase individual courses, the price ranges from $59 to $249, and those do provide lifetime access - but only to the specific course purchased. I find the current complete access pricing a bit convoluted. They say "Take advantage of everything the course center offers with monthly or yearly access." While they do indicate the cost is $20 per month, it also says it's billed annually at $240. I looked, but did not find any option to truly subscribe month to month. It is absolutely possible to finish all the courses in far less than a year, and for anyone looking for solid and easy to understand courses, $240 isn't a bad price. But to continue paying the fee year after year would certainly add up. For those who may already be paying for subscriptions to Ancestry, MyHeritage and/or FindMyPast, the cost for continued access to Family History Daily year over year could be prohibitive. After all, most people probably don't go back and do courses a 2nd time. So continued access would mainly be to get the benefit of new courses. While I love the site, and they offer a wonderful learning experience, I wouldn't pay $240 year after year. If I were looking now, I'd probably pay for a single year, and then decide whether new courses would be beneficial at an individual course price.

But in any case, I do have access to the new FamilySearch Crash Course. From the course description, "You’ll learn how to search smarter, uncover records many researchers overlook, and finally break through frustrating research dead ends." There are 3 sections, with a total of 42 lessons. There are also hands-on activities, and quizzes to help you make sure the information is sinking in.

• Section 1: Mastering Search on FamilySearch (15 lesson)
• Section 2: Making the Most of the FamilySearch Family Tree (13 lessons)
• Section 3: Focused Research Strategies (14 lessons)
• This section includes how to make the most of the FamilySearch Wiki

I don't want to sacrifice all my research time, so I'm just fitting in a little daily learning, with one lesson per day. As far as the first topics on effective searching, the information is well organized and easy to understand, and search concepts could be applied to many sites. The cost for this course individually is $99. Before I'd plunk down the money for the course (no matter how helpful it may be) I'd suggest taking a peek at the Learning Center on FamilySearch.org. There are 225 pages of resources you can review for free. You can also head over to the FamilySearch Research Wiki where there's useful information on more topics than you can imagine - and it's totally free! Or, head over to YouTube, where you have 423 videos to choose from. 

I'm definitely not saying the Family History Daily course isn't worth it. I can only offer my opinion once I fully complete the course. If you're new to researching, and your plan is to stick with FamilySearch.org because it's totally free to use, you might very well benefit from the individual course. And if you simply prefer structured learning, it's a viable option. Based on previous courses I've completed at Family History Daily, you'll receive a solid introduction to the site, how to make the most of it, good research practices, and you'll be prepared for more success in your research. And if you want to go further with your learning, a year's subscription would definitely provide a solid base of knowledge - if you work through all the courses. But I'd be careful to make sure the subscription isn't on auto-renew (or remove your credit card information after the first billing). The current pricing model isn't as beneficial as the one in place when I originally signed up. 

In summary, I'd absolutely give the site 5 stars for content and presentation (both the free articles and the courses). But my overall rating would now be 3 stars, simply because the current subscription model, in my opinion, isn't sustainable. 

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with the title and search description for this post. All post content was created and written entirely by me.