The Family History AI Show EP39: 2026 Predictions for Family History AI, Platform Apps, Handwritten Text Recognition, AI-Enhanced Research, AI-Browsers, and so much more!
In the last episode of 2025, Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little present their predictions for how artificial intelligence will transform genealogy research in 2026. This special episode examines fourteen key trends shaping the future of family history AI.
Mark and Steve predict that AI tools will move from enthusiast circles into mainstream genealogy practice, with AI-enhanced apps like NotebookLM becoming more important than the underlying language models that people have focused on for the past three years.
They explore how handwritten text recognition will become more accurate and accessible, and that genealogy companies will cautiously integrate new AI features, first focusing on helping us with our research.
Timestamps:
02:33 Family History AI Goes Mainstream: From Enthusiasts to Everyday Users
04:13 Apps Over Models: Why Platform Features Matter More Than LLMs
06:17 Reusable Prompting Tools: GPTs, Projects, and Gems Boost Efficiency
08:02 AI-Enhanced Research Gains Acceptance Among Serious Genealogists
09:53 Handwritten Text Recognition Gets Better, Easier, and Cheaper
12:18 Genealogy Companies Take Cautious Approach to Generative AI
17:07 AI-Enhanced Browsers Become Standard, Agentic Features Raise Concerns
24:25 Voice Interfaces to AI Remain Niche in 2026
27:36 LLM Vendors Push File and Email Integration for Stickiness
31:46 Productivity Tools Embed LLMs Everywhere
35:56 The AI Horse Race: Three Leaders Emerge
41:15 AI Licensing Deals Change Internet Access Patterns
44:34 The AI Bubble Conversation is important to society, but less so to Genealogists
Resource Links:
The Family History AI Show Academy
https://tixoom.app/fhaishow
Family History AI Goes Mainstream
What Can AI Do for Your Genealogical Research? – James Tanner (Nov 2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXmVKy1pUPE
FamilySearch Shares Plans for 2025 (Includes AI integration details) https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/familysearch-shares-plans-for-2025
Reusable Prompting Tools
Custom GPTs vs. Gemini Gems: Who Wins? - Learn Prompting (Aug 2025) https://learnprompting.org/blog/custom-gpts-vs-gemini-gems
AI-Enhanced Research
Unlocking Family Histories: How AI Is Breathing New Life into Handwritten Records (South Central APG)
https://southcentralapg.org/2025/08/16/unlocking-family-histories-how-ai-is-breathing-new-life-into-handwritten-records/
Handwritten Text Recognition
A new Google model is nearly perfect on automated handwriting recognition - Hacker News https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45887262
Cautious AI from Genealogy Companies
AI-Enhanced Browsers
Compliance alert: Do not use AI browsers
https://vinciworks.com/blog/compliance-alert-do-not-use-ai-browsers/
Content Integration with Chatbots
Gemini vs Copilot: A Quick Comparison Guide (2025) - Tactiq
https://tactiq.io/learn/gemini-vs-copilot
AI in Office Productivity Tools
Microsoft Copilot in 2025: What's Changed & What's Next | Aldridge
https://aldridge.com/microsoft-copilot-in-2025-whats-changed-whats-next/
Monthly Round Up: New Features in Microsoft 365 Copilot (Dec 2025)
https://dynamicscommunities.com/ug/copilot-ug/monthly-round-up-new-features-in-microsoft-365-copilot/
The AI Horse Race
The Best AI in October 2025? We Compared ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Gemini & Others - FelloAI
https://felloai.com/the-best-ai-in-october-2025-we-compared-chatgpt-claude-grok-gemini-others/
The 2025 AI Coding Models: Comprehensive Guide to the Top 5 Contenders - CodeGPT
https://www.codegpt.co/blog/ai-coding-models-2025-comprehensive-guide
AI Licensing Deals
Content Licensing Agreements Will Concentrate Markets Without Standardized Access - ProMarket
(Nov 2025) https://www.promarket.org/2025/11/20/content-licensing-agreements-will-concentrate-markets-without-standardized-access/
The False Hope of Content Licensing at Internet Scale - ProMarket
https://www.promarket.org/2025/11/19/the-false-hope-of-content-licensing-at-internet-scale/
The AI Bubble Conversation
The AI boom will turn to bust in 2026
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-ai-boom-will-turn-to-bust-next-year-says-this-forecaster-who-offers-his-trade-of-the-year-9c2a2332
OUTLOOK 2026 Promise and Pressure - J.P. Morgan (Discusses AI market stability vs bubble risks)
https://www.jpmorgan.com/content/dam/jpmorgan/documents/wealth-management/outlook-2026.pdf
Tags:
Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, AI Predictions, NotebookLM, HTR, AI Browsers, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude