The Family History AI Show

EP28: AI-Based Transcriptions Transform Genealogy, FamilySearch Interview with David Ouimette, Grok 4's Anticipated Release, Apple Changes Its AI Strategy

Jul 21, 2025
Guest
David Ouimette
David Ouimette, Director of Content Strategy at FamilySearch, shares insights on how AI is transforming genealogical research. He discusses FamilySearch's Full-Text Search, now accessing over 1.25 billion records, and the challenges of building effective AI transcription models. David reveals how specialized training improves accuracy for handwritten documents and emphasizes the ongoing need for human oversight in AI processes. The conversation also touches on the broader implications of AI in tools like Google Photos and Ancestry's document transcription features.
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INSIGHT

Transcriptions Are The New Normal

  • AI-based transcriptions are now pervasive across genealogy workflows and tools.
  • Full-text AI transcription has become the new normal for extracting searchable text from images and documents.
ADVICE

Master Screen Capture Workflows

  • Pick a reliable screen-capture tool and get fast at capturing and extracting text from images.
  • Use your chatbot for richer extraction by adding context and formatting prompts for better accuracy.
ADVICE

Use Dan Maloney's Batch HTR Tool

  • Try Dan Maloney's Genealogy Assistant HTR to batch-transcribe many handwritten images affordably.
  • Provide your API key and choose the model (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) to control cost and quality.
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