Ancestors and Algorithms: AI for Genealogy
Stuck on a family history brick wall? It's time to add the most powerful tool to your genealogy toolkit: Artificial Intelligence. Welcome to Ancestors and Algorithms, the definitive guide to revolutionizing your family tree research with AI.
Forget the hype and confusion. This isn't just another podcast about AI; this is your hands-on, step-by-step masterclass using AI. Each week, host and researcher Brian demystifies the technology and shows you exactly how to apply AI tools to find ancestors, analyze records, and solve your toughest genealogy puzzles.
We explore the incredible promise of AI while navigating its perils with an honest, practical approach. Learn to use AI as your personal research assistant—not a replacement for your own critical thinking.
Join us to learn how to:
- Break through brick walls using AI-driven analysis and data correlation.
- Transcribe old, hard-to-read documents, letters, and census records in minutes.
- Use ChatGPT, Gemini, and other Generative AI to draft biographies, summarize findings, and organize your research.
- Analyze DNA matches and historical records to uncover hidden family connections.
- Master prompts that get you accurate results and avoid AI "hallucinations."
- Discover the latest AI tech and digital tools for genealogists before anyone else.
Whether you're a beginner genealogist or a seasoned family historian, if you're ready to upgrade your research skills, this podcast is for you. Hit Follow now and turn AI into your ultimate secret weapon for uncovering your ancestry.
Ancestors and Algorithms: AI for Genealogy
Latest Episodes
Ep. 61: The Informant Test - Death Certificates and AI
Who told the clerk your ancestor's parents? On this 1938 death certificate, the informant was born 24 years after the birth she reported.The parents' names on a death certificate come from an informant, often a child or grandchild who wa...
Ep. 60: The Leeds Method and AI - Finding an Unknown Father
How do you find an unknown father among more than 2,000 DNA matches? Sort 20 of them into four grandparent groups with the Leeds Method and AI.In this composite case, Lorraine was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1944. Her birth registr...
Ep. 59: Find Your German Ancestor's Village - Research Questions & AI
Four records said Hanover, Prussia or Germany, and not one named his village. Here's how to find a German immigrant's village of origin with AI, step by step.When every record says "Germany," the problem is usually the research question...
Ep. 58: Same Name, Two Men - Untangle a Merged Family Tree With AI
Two men named Giovanni Farruggia registered for the World War I draft in Tampa on the same day in 1917. An online family tree fused them into one ancestor.Identity separation for genealogists: how to tell two same-name ancestors apart w...
Ep. 57: Find Her Maiden Name: Proving Parents with Indirect Evidence and AI
No record names her parents, and you can still prove them. This episode shows how, step by step, with 5 ordinary records and 3 free AI tools.Every family tree has a woman like Nancy Brockway: a first name, a married surname, and nothing...