Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore how DeepSeek has dramatically changed the AI landscape by releasing a powerful, inexpensive, open-source model that challenges American dominance in AI.

They celebrate the first anniversary of FamilySearch's Full-Text Search, which has expanded from three collections to three thousand in just one-year, revolutionizing access to billions of previously unsearchable records.

Mark and Steve examine how Google and Microsoft are integrating AI into their productivity platforms, making these tools accessible to mainstream family historians at minimal cost.

This week's Tip of the Week demystifies the difference between instructional and reasoning AI models, helping genealogists choose the right tool for the right job.

In RapidFire, they discuss the ambitious $500 billion Project Stargate, major model updates from Gemini and Grok, and how Deep Research capabilities are becoming standard across all AI platforms.

In the News:

04:34 DeepSeek Shakes the AI World: Game-Changing Model from China

15:51 FamilySearch Full-Text Search Turns One: From Thousands to Billions of Records

23:33 Google and Microsoft Go All-In: AI Integrated into Workspace Tools

Tip of the Week:

29:22 Know Your Model: Understanding Instructional vs. Reasoning AI

RapidFire:

42:25 The Stargate Project: $500 Billion AI Infrastructure Initiative

45:38 Major Model Updates: Gemini 2.0 and Grok 3 Beta Released

48:41 Deep Research Becomes Industry Standard: Available Across All Major Platforms

DeepSeek Backgrounder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeepSeek

Family Search Free Text Search

https://www.familysearch.org/search/full-text/collection/list

Free Text Search of Ireland, Properties, from 1298 to 1975

https://www.familysearch.org/search/full-text/collection/M9J1-ZYL

Copilot is now included in Microsoft 365 Personal and Family

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/01/16/copilot-is-now-included-in-microsoft-365-personal-and-family/

Google AI now Included in Workspace Plans

https://workspace.google.com/blog/product-announcements/empowering-businesses-with-AI

Introducing OpenAI o1

https://openai.com/o1/

OpenAI o3-mini

https://openai.com/index/openai-o3-mini/

Announcing The Stargate Project

https://openai.com/index/announcing-the-stargate-project/

Gemini 2.0 is now available to everyone

https://blog.google/technology/google-deepmind/gemini-model-updates-february-2025/

Grok 3 Beta — The Age of Reasoning Agents

https://x.ai/blog/grok-3

Try Deep Research

https://blog.google/products/gemini/google-gemini-deep-research/

Introducing deep research from OpenAI

https://openai.com/index/introducing-deep-research/

Introducing Perplexity Deep Research

https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/introducing-perplexity-deep-research

Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Genealogy, Family History, DeepSeek, AI Models, FamilySearch, Full-Text Search, Open Source AI, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Reasoning Models, Instructional Models, Language Models, Stargate Project, AI Infrastructure, Research Tools, Deep Research, AI Capabilities

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little share their predictions for artificial intelligence developments in 2025, with a special focus on how these changes will affect genealogists and family historians.

They explore the emergence of AI agents, the shift to running language models locally on personal devices, and the introduction of chatbots to social media platforms. Mark and Steve also discuss how AI writing tools will become mainstream, even as costs decrease and capabilities increase.

Their predictions include both opportunities and challenges, examining which tools may thrive and which may disappoint in the coming year. They conclude with "anti-predictions" – capabilities that, despite high hopes, probably won't materialize in 2025.

What We Can Look Forward to In 2025

01:02 AI Agents: The Next Big Thing

08:06 Local Language Models: Improved Privacy and Security

13:09 Social Media Chatbots: Coming to Your Groups

18:24 AI Writing Tools: The New Normal

24:16 AI Costs: Dropping Fast

30:43 The AI Horse Race: Who Will Lead?

Anti-Predictions: What Won't Happen in 2025

36:01 Handwritten Text Recognition

40:21 AI Generated Family Trees and Diagrams

44:06 Generated Text in Images

Using Claude for 'Computer Use' Tasks

https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/build-with-claude/computer-use

OpenAI's Operator Agent

https://openai.com/index/introducing-operator/

Facebook's New AI Tool for Groups

https://aigenealogyinsights.com/2024/10/22/exploring-facebooks-new-ai-tool-for-groups/

What to Know About DeepSeek and How It Is Upending A.I. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/technology/what-is-deepseek-china-ai.html

Trump's $500B Stargate AI Initiative https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronshevlin/2025/01/23/trumps-ai-push-understanding-the-500-billion-stargate-initiative/

artificial intelligence, technology, genealogy, family history, AI predictions, AI agents, local AI, social media, chatbots, AI writing, language models, OpenAI, DeepSeek, privacy, security, AI costs, machine learning, computer automation, research tools, future technology

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore Google's powerful end-of-year releases that challenge other AI platforms. They examine Google's Deep Research tool and its ability to quickly create comprehensive research reports by combining information from multiple sources.

Next, they discuss Facebook's controversial introduction of AI assistants to Facebook groups and what this might mean for genealogy communities.

The hosts review Google's NotebookLM's significant updates, including enhanced audio capabilities and collaborative features that could transform how genealogists work together.

This week's Tip of the Week demonstrates how ChatGPT Projects can organize and enhance genealogical research, with Steve using his approach to a 2025 genealogy do-over as an example.

In RapidFire, they cover Google's new fact benchmark, Gemini 2.0's release, AI-enhanced search results, and OpenAI's O3 announcement.

In the News:

06:44 Google Deep Research: The New Challenger to Perplexity

18:03 Facebook Groups Get AI Assistants

24:57 NotebookLM: Major Updates for Collaborative Projects

Tip of the Week:

32:15 ChatGPT Projects: Organizing Your Genealogy Do-Over

RapidFire:

41:52 Google's New Fact Benchmark

44:00 Gemini 2.0 Release

48:34 Google AI-Enhanced Search Results

54:48 OpenAI's O3 Model Announcement

AI Seminar at the Victoria Genealogical Society

https://victoriags.org/content.aspx?page_id=4091&club_id=554933&item_id=2488526

Legacy Family Tree Webinars: "Genealogy Meets AI: Panel Discussion"

https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/genealogy-meets-ai-panel-discussion/

Introducing Gemini 2.0: our new AI model for the agentic era

https://blog.google/technology/google-deepmind/google-gemini-ai-update-december-2024/

Certified Arborist Facebook Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/12652295162

Exploring Facebook's New AI Tool for Groups

https://aigenealogyinsights.com/2024/10/22/exploring-facebooks-new-ai-tool-for-groups/

NotebookLM gets a new look, audio interactivity and a premium version

https://blog.google/technology/google-labs/notebooklm-new-features-december-2024/

Using Projects in ChatGPT

https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10169521-using-projects-in-chatgpt

A new benchmark for evaluating the accuracy of large language models

https://deepmind.google/discover/blog/facts-grounding-a-new-benchmark-for-evaluating-the-

factuality-of-large-language-models/

AI Overviews in Search are coming to more places around the world

https://blog.google/products/search/ai-overviews-search-october-2024/

OpenAI announces new o3 models

https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/20/openai-announces-new-o3-model/

AI, Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, Technology, OpenAI, Google, Perplexity, ChatGPT, Meta, Content Licensing, AI Conferences, AI Outage, Ethical AI, Disclosure, Genealogy Research, OpenAI Licensing, Google AI Issues, Perplexity Pages, ChatGPT Updates, Meta AI Developments, Grok.AI, AI in Genealogy, AI Tools, Technology in Genealogy, AI Transparency, AI and Privacy

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore OpenAI's "12 Days of OpenAI" campaign, particularly focusing on their new reasoning models and the expanded availability of Canvas across all ChatGPT models.

They examine how ChatGPT's new camera view in Advanced Voice Mode transforms mobile research capabilities, demonstrating real-world applications for genealogists.

This week's Tip of the Week reveals how to get the most out of free AI tools by leveraging each one's strengths: Gemini for summarization, Perplexity for research, ChatGPT for reasoning, and Claude for writing.

In RapidFire, they discuss Apple's cautious AI updates in iOS 18.2, the release of GPT Search for free account holders, Harvard's million-book donation for AI training, and OpenAI's festive Santa Chat feature.

In the News:

02:41 12 Days of OpenAI: New Features and Updates

12:15 Canvas Integration: Now Available Across All Models

17:24 Advanced Voice Mode: ChatGPT Gets Camera View

Tip of the Week:

23:29 Maximizing Free AI Tools: The Right Tool for Each Task

RapidFire:

35:52 Apple Intelligence: iOS 18.2 AI Features

40:20 Free GPT Search Goes Public

45:22 Harvard's Million-Book Donation for AI Training

51:52 OpenAI's Santa Chat Mode

Resource LinksChatGPT

https://chatgpt.com/

12 Days of OpenAI

https://openai.com/12-days/

ChatGPT Canvas Feature

https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/chatgpt/openai-announces-official-launch-of-canvas-for-writing-and-coding-heres-whats-new

ChatGPT Projects Feature

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcB97h3vrzk

GPT Search is now free 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2024/12/16/chatgpt-search-now-free-for-all-heres-why-you-should-try-it/

Advanced Voice Mode with Vision

https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/chatgpt/chatgpt-advanced-voice-with-vision-just-launched-heres-how-to-try-it

ChatGPT Search and the Chrome Extension

https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-search/

Claude

https://claude.ai

Claude Projects

https://www.anthropic.com/news/projects

Gemini

https://gemini.google.com

Perplexity AI

https://www.perplexity.ai

Perplexity Pages

https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/perplexity-pages

Apple Intelligence

https://www.apple.com/apple-intelligence

Harvard Digital Collections

https://hls.harvard.edu/today/harvards-library-innovation-lab-launches-initiative-to-use-public-domain-data-to-train-artificial-intelligence/

https://institutionaldatainitiative.org/

ChatGPT Santa Mode

https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10139238-santa-s-voice-in-chatgpt

Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, OpenAI, Family History Research, Voice Technology, ChatGPT, AI Tools, Content Creation, Canvas, 12 Days of OpenAI

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little reveal their top recommendations for AI tools worth paying for in 2025. They also discuss which AI tools aren't worth paying for in 2025. One of them might surprise you!

Next, Mark and Steve begin their review of OpenAI's "12 Days of OpenAI" announcements, beginning with the release of their enhanced O1 reasoning model. This new model will help you plan your family history research.

This week's Tip of the Week challenges conventional thinking about AI hallucinations, suggesting ways to leverage this characteristic as a feature rather than a bug.

In RapidFire, Mark and Steve examine Microsoft's Copilot Vision beta release, Apple's cautious AI rollout strategy, Google's new memory feature in Gemini, and XAI's significant funding round.

In The News:

03:10 AI Tools Worth Paying For in 2025

19:48 Specialty AI Tools to Consider in 2025

26:46 AI Tools Not Worth Paying For in 2025

32:26 OpenAI's 12 Days of Gifts Begins

Tip of the Week:

40:10 Treat AI Hallucinations as a Feature, not a Bug

RapidFire:

50:06 Microsoft Copilot Vision Beta Launch

53:18 Apple's Intelligence Rollout Plans

56:20 Google Gemini Adds Memory Feature

59:34 XAI's $6 Billion Funding Round

ChatGPT Plus

https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-plus/

ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode

https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8400625-voice-mode-faq

Claude Pro

https://claude.ai/

Perplexity Pro

https://www.perplexity.ai/pro

Acrobat AI Assistant

https://helpx.adobe.com/ca/acrobat/using/generative-ai.html

Eleven Labs

https://elevenlabs.io/

Mid Journey

https://www.midjourney.com/

Microsoft Copilot Pro

https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/copilot

Grammarly

https://www.grammarly.com/

ChatGPT O1 Model

https://openai.com/o1/

ChatGPT O1 Pro

https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-pro/

Microsoft Copilot Vision

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot/blog/2024/12/05/copilot-vision-now-in-preview-a-new-way-to-browse/

Apple Intelligence

https://www.apple.com/ca/apple-intelligence/

Siri

https://www.apple.com/siri/

Gemini Memory Feature

https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/19/googles-gemini-chatbot-now-has-memory/

X AI Platform

https://x.ai/

Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Genealogy, Family History, Machine Learning, AI Tools, AI Product Reviews, AI Pricing, Voice Technology, Image Generation, Research Tools, AI Ethics, Content Creation, Professional Research, Language Models

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore the AI developments that had the biggest impact on genealogy in 2024.

This week’s episode spotlights MyHeritage's newest viral tool, LiveMemory, which brings old photos to life through animation. Next, Mark and Steve count down the year's top AI breakthroughs for genealogists. The groundbreaking FamilySearch full-text search takes the top spot by providing unprecedented access to huge collections of handwritten records. Mark and Steve also discuss the genealogy community's migration to Bluesky.

Don’t miss this week’s tip of the week, which provides practical tips for using AI to help you research your ancestors’ home countries. 

This week’s rapid fire stories include major industry developments at Google, OpenAI, and Amazon.

This episode showcases how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing family history research for genealogists at all levels.

IN THE NEWS

03:02 MyHeritage's Goes Viral (again!) with LiveMemory

10:56 Top Five AI Breakthroughs for Genealogists in 2024

Chatbots Learn How to Reason (OpenAI’s o1-preview)

Content Creation Within Chatbots (Artifacts, Canvas)

Collaborative Research Spaces (NotebookLM, Claude Projects, Perplexity Spaces)

AI-Enhanced Search (SearchGPT, Perplexity, Google)

FamilySearch Unlocks Handwritten Records

27:27 The Great Bluesky Migration

TIP OF THE WEEK

32:17 Use AI To Research the Home Country

RAPIDFIRE

40:41 Google Loses Antitrust Cases

44:33 OpenAI Announces Web Browser Initiative

48:25 Amazon's $4B Anthropic Investment

IN THE NEWS

MyHeritage's Goes Viral (again!) with LiveMemory

LiveMemory

https://www.myheritage.com/livememory/

Runway ML

https://runwayml.com/

TOP 5 AI BREAKTHROUGHS

Introducing OpenAI o1-preview

https://openai.com/index/introducing-openai-o1-preview/

Claude Artifacts

https://support.anthropic.com/en/articles/9487310-what-are-artifacts-and-how-do-i-use-them

ChatGPT Canvas

https://openai.com/index/introducing-canvas/

Google NotebookLM

https://notebooklm.google.com/

Claude Projects

https://www.anthropic.com/news/projects

Perplexity Spaces

https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/faq/what-are-spaces

Introducing ChatGPT Search

https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-search/

Perplexity

https://www.perplexity.ai/

Google

https://www.google.com/

FamilySearch Full-Text Search

https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/find-the-new-full-text-search-for-historical-records

BLUESKY MIGRATION

Bluesky Social

https://bsky.app/

Mark Thompson’s Bluesky Handle

https://bsky.app/profile/makingfamilyhistory.com

Steve Little’s Bluesky Handle

https://bsky.app/profile/digitalarchivst.bsky.social

RAPIDFIRE

Google Loses Antitrust Cases

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/05/nx-s1-5064624/google-justice-department-antitrust-search

https://www.reuters.com/legal/google-asks-us-appeals-court-reject-app-store-monopoly-verdict-2024-11-27/

https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/life/tech/2024/11/26/chrome-google-forced-sale

OpenAI Announces Web Browser Initiative

https://www.pcmag.com/news/openai-working-on-a-web-browser-to-compete-with-google-chrome

https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-considers-taking-google-with-browser-information-reports-2024-11-21/

Amazon's $4B Anthropic Investment

https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/22/24303185/amazon-anthropic-investment-ai-alexa

AI, Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, Technology, OpenAI, Google, Perplexity, ChatGPT, Anthropic, Genealogy AI, MyHeritage LiveMemory, Family History Technology, AI Photo Animation, FamilySearch Full-Text Search, Genealogy Search Tools, Historical Photo Animation, Family History Research, AI Genealogy Tools, Digital Genealogy, Handwritten Records Search, Ancestral Research, MyHeritage Tools, Genealogy Technology, Family Photographs, FamilySearch Tools, Genealogy Social Media, Bluesky Genealogy, AI Research Tools, Ancestry Research, Foreign Genealogy Research, Family History Software, Genealogy Databases, AI Document Analysis, Historical Documents, Genealogy Community, Genealogy Tips, Photo Preservation, Genealogy Innovations, Family History Preservation

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little discuss how Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet upgrade has made Claude an even better AI writer. This make's it even easier to write a great research report. 

They move on to explore OpenAI's new desktop apps and Advanced Voice Mode, discussing how voice interaction could transform genealogical research, particularly for those who prefer speaking to typing. Combining search and AI in the same tool will be a huge timesaver for genealogy research.

This week's Tip of the Week reveals the best ways to leverage free AI tools for family history research. There’s no need to pay for AI tools if you only need these features a few times a day.

In RapidFire, they examine the future of AI agents, Apple's cautious AI rollout in iOS 18.1, and Meta's strategic content partnership with Reuters.

In the News:

02:20  Claude 3.5 Sonnet (new): AI Writing Reaches New Heights

06:50 ChatGPT Desktop Apps: Now Available for Both Macs and PCs

14:00 AI Search Gets Real: AI-Enhanced Search From ChatGPT

Tip of the Week:

19:20 Free AI Tools: How To Get Premium AI Results For Free

RapidFire:

26:50 AI Agents: The Future of Computer Interaction

31:20 Apple Intelligence: IOS 18.1 Starts the Rollout of AI for Apple

40:26 Meta's Reuters Deal: The First (of Many?) Content Partnerships for Facebook

ANTHROPIC

Claude 3.5 Sonnet

https://www.anthropic.com/claude/sonnet

Projects feature

https://www.anthropic.com/news/projects

OPENAI

ChatGPT

https://chatgpt.com/

Desktop Apps

https://openai.com/chatgpt/desktop/

Advanced Voice Mode

https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8400625-voice-mode-faq

GPT Search

https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-search/

APPLE

iOS 18.1

https://www.apple.com/ca/newsroom/2024/10/apple-intelligence-is-available-today-on-iphone-ipad-and-mac/

Apple Intelligence

https://www.apple.com/apple-intelligence/

Siri

https://www.apple.com/siri/

Apple Photo Search

https://9to5mac.com/2024/09/25/photos-search-in-ios-181-actually-works-thanks-to-apple-intelligence/

META

Meta AI

https://ai.meta.com/meta-ai/

Reuters Partnership

https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/meta-platforms-use-reuters-news-content-ai-chatbot-2024-10-25/

MISC

Perplexity

https://www.perplexity.ai

Microsoft Copilot

https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/copilot

Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Cloud Computing, Machine Learning, Family History, Genealogy, AI, Mobile Technology, Natural Language Processing, Large Language Models, Generative AI, AI Search, Voice Assistants, AI Agents, Research Tools, Content Creation, Digital Writing, Document Analysis, Privacy, Data Protection, AI Ethics, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, ChatGPT, Apple Intelligence, Meta AI, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot, iOS 18.1, Siri, AI Writing, Desktop Applications, Mobile Apps, Photo Organization, Email Tools, Content Partnerships, Source Citation, Voice Interaction, User Experience, Cloud Services, Free Tools, Premium Features, Tool Comparison, Workflow Optimization, Family Research, Genealogy Tools, Research Reports, Narrative Writing, Genealogists, Family Historians, Tech Writers, Researchers, Digital Creators

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little examine OpenAI's new Canvas feature, demonstrating how this split-screen interface revolutionizes document creation and editing for genealogists. Locality guides and research reports are used as practical examples.

They explore how AI platforms like Canvas and Perplexity Spaces are challenging traditional software, suggesting a future where content creation happens primarily within AI environments rather than conventional office applications.

This week's Tip of the Week addresses critical privacy considerations when using AI tools, introducing the practical "Water Cooler Rule" for protecting sensitive genealogical data.

In RapidFire, they discuss Apple's research on AI reasoning, NotebookLM's enhanced audio overview capabilities for turning historical documents into conversations, and preview Apple's upcoming AI features in iOS 18.1.

Whether you're embracing AI tools or just starting to explore them, this episode offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of AI’s and genealogical research.

In the News:

04:15 OpenAI Canvas: The New Frontier of AI Writing

12:40 The Great Shift: AI Platforms vs Traditional Software

26:20 Perplexity Spaces: Collaborative AI Research Breakthrough

Tip of the Week:

31:30 Privacy & Protection: Smart Guidelines for AI Use in Family History

RapidFire:

39:15 Apple's Research on AI Reasoning: What It Means for Users

43:40 NotebookLM's Game-Changing Audio Features

49:25 Apple Intelligence: iOS 18.1 Preview

OpenAI

ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/

Canvas feature: https://openai.com/index/introducing-canvas/

Anthropic

Claude 3.5 Sonnet: https://www.anthropic.com/claude/sonnet

Artifacts feature: https://support.anthropic.com/en/articles/9487310-what-are-artifacts-and-how-do-i-use-them

Projects feature: https://www.anthropic.com/news/projects

Google

NotebookLM: https://notebooklm.google.com/

Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/

Google Slides: https://slides.google.com/  

Audio Overview feature: https://blog.google/technology/ai/notebooklm-update-october-2024/

Perplexity

Spaces (collaborative feature): https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/faq/what-are-spaces

Pages feature: https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/perplexity-pages

Microsoft

Microsoft Office: https://www.office.com/

Microsoft Word: https://www.microsoft.com/word

Microsoft Excel: https://www.microsoft.com/excel

Outlook with Copilot: https://www.microsoft.com/outlook

Apple

Apple Intelligence: https://www.apple.com/apple-intelligence/

Siri: https://www.apple.com/siri/

VOICE ASSISTANTS:

Siri (Apple): https://www.apple.com/siri/

Alexa (Amazon): https://developer.amazon.com/alexa

Google Assistant: https://assistant.google.com/

GENEALOGY RESOURCES:

North Carolina Genealogical Society: https://www.ncgenealogy.org/

National Genealogical Society (NGS): https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/

East Coast Genetic Genealogy Seminar: https://ecggc.org/

Internet Archive (archive.org): https://archive.org/

RESEARCH TOOLS:

Leeds Method (DNA analysis): https://www.danaleeds.com/the-leeds-method/

Custom GPTs: https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpts/

PRESENTERS/EXPERTS MENTIONED:

David McCorkle: http://davidmccorkle.com/

Dana Leeds: https://www.danaleeds.com/

Professor Ethan Mullock (author of "Cointelligence"): https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/i-cyborg-using-co-intelligence

Family History, Genealogy, Artificial Intelligence, AI, Generative AI, OpenAI Canvas, Canvas, AI Writing, Privacy Tips, Apple AI, Perplexity Spaces, NotebookLM, ChatGPT, Claude, Anthropic, Microsoft Office, Google Notebook, Perplexity, iOS 18, Genealogy Tools, Family Research, DNA Genealogy, Genealogy Research, Family Historian, AI Tools, Content Creation, Digital Writing, Collaboration, Workspaces, Smart Assistants, Document Editing, Research Tools, Writing Tools, Data Privacy, Data Protection, AI Privacy, AI Ethics, Target Audience: Genealogists, Family Historians, Tech Writers, Researchers, Digital Creators.

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little recap their experiences at the East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference last week, highlighting Dana Leeds' innovative use of AI for efficiently created charts using the Leeds Method.

They then explore OpenAI's new Canvas feature, comparing it to Claude's Artifacts, and discuss its potential for genealogical research.

Next, Mark and Steve review Google's Notebook LM, examining its ability to turn documents into engaging podcasts and its usefulness for genealogical research.

Don’t miss this week's Tip of the Week, which focuses on the importance of disclosing AI-generated content in genealogical work.

In RapidFire, they cover Google Photos' upcoming AI-powered search feature, Nobel Prizes awarded to AI researchers, Microsoft's reintroduction of screen capture technology as Copilot Vision, and more.

Whether you're a tech enthusiast or a family historian, this episode offers valuable insights into the latest AI advancements and their impact on genealogy.

In the News:

02:51 Recap of East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference

07:35 Dana Leeds' innovative use of AI for the Leeds Method

12:52 OpenAI's new Canvas feature

20:54 Google's Notebook LM and its applications in genealogy

Tip of the Week:

29:16 Disclosing AI-generated content in genealogical work

RapidFire:

42:34 Google Photos' upcoming AI-powered search

47:26 Nobel Prizes awarded to AI researchers

53:16 Microsoft's Copilot Vision: Reintroduction of screen capture technology

57:32 Closing thoughts and announcements

East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference

https://ecggc.org/

The Leeds Method with Claude Artifacts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp5DzuLeaN4

ChatGPT

https://openai.com/chatgpt

Claude AI

https://www.anthropic.com/claude

OpenAI

https://openai.com/

Google Notebook LM

https://notebooklm.google/

FamilySearch

https://www.familysearch.org

MyHeritage

https://www.myheritage.com/

Google Photos

https://photos.google.com/

Nobel Prize

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2024/summary/

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2024/summary/

Microsoft Copilot Vision

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot/blog/2024/10/01/introducing-copilot-labs-and-copilot-vision/

Adobe

https://www.adobe.com/

Google DeepMind

https://deepmind.google/

Microsoft Edge

https://www.microsoft.com/edge

Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, Technology, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, ChatGPT, Claude, Canvas, Artifacts, Notebook LM, AI Ethics, AI Disclosure, East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference, Leeds Method, AI in Research, Google Photos, Nobel Prize, AI Researchers, Copilot Vision, Screen Capture, AI Advancements, Genealogical Research, AI Tools, AI News, Responsible AI Use, AI Privacy, AI Safety, AI Development

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little are excited to share OpenAI's Advanced Voice Mode, which enables natural conversations with AI, and how FamilySearch's expanded full-text Search is revolutionizing records accessibility. They stress responsible AI use throughout this week's episode, introducing a new series on verifying the accuracy of AI-generated information.

Send your stories of AI accuracy (or accuracy failures) to [email protected]

New tools like Google's Notebook LM and Apple's Visual Intelligence promise to enhance research capabilities. Throughout, cohosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little emphasize the need for accuracy and verification of facts to combat AI "hallucinations."

Genealogists must adapt their skills to leverage these powerful tools as AI evolves.

The episode highlights the exciting potential and the critical importance of responsible AI use in family history research.

In the News

02:11 ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode Finally Arrives

23:26 FamilySearch Full-Text Search Adds a Million Canadian Probate and Homestead Records

Tip of the Week

30:42 Responsible AI Series Debuts: Accuracy Takes Center Stage

RapidFire

38:55 Google's NotebookLM is Easy, Powerful Collaborative Workspace

46:17 Google Battles Hallucinations with Real-World Data

49:28 Apple's Visual Intelligence Promises to Enhance Historical Exploration

Email your stories of accurate AI done right (and complete accuracy failures) to [email protected]

OpenAI Advanced Voice Mode: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8400625-voice-mode-faq

Meta debuts AI chatbot voiced by celebrities: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/meta-ai-chatbot-celebrity-voices-judi-dench-john-cena-awkwafina-mark-zuckerberg/

Google Gemini Live: https://blog.google/products/gemini/made-by-google-gemini-ai-updates/

FamilySearch Full-text Search: https://www.familysearch.org/search/full-text

Google Notebook LM: https://blog.google/technology/ai/notebooklm-audio-overviews/

Google DataGemma: https://blog.google/technology/ai/google-datagemma-ai-llm/

Apple Visual Intelligence: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/09/apple-introduces-iphone-16-and-iphone-16-plus/

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