The Family History AI Show
Mark Thompson and Steve Little
Welcome to "The Family History AI Show," your go-to podcast for the latest news and views on artificial intelligence and family history.
Join Steve Little, world-class authority in AI and genealogy, and Mark Thompson, professional genealogist, educator, and technology expert, as they explore the fascinating intersection of family history and AI.
In each episode, Mark and Steve unpack the latest news and tools in AI, delivering clear, accessible insights on how you can transform your personal genealogy journey using AI and how AI is reshaping the genealogy community as a whole.
Join Steve Little, world-class authority in AI and genealogy, and Mark Thompson, professional genealogist, educator, and technology expert, as they explore the fascinating intersection of family history and AI.
In each episode, Mark and Steve unpack the latest news and tools in AI, delivering clear, accessible insights on how you can transform your personal genealogy journey using AI and how AI is reshaping the genealogy community as a whole.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 3, 2025 • 1h 13min
EP36: Browser Wars Heat Up, What AI Can Learn from AOL, Anthropic's Speedy New AI Model, Simple Path to Better Prompts
Discover how AI-enhanced browsers are revolutionizing genealogical research and making data collection effortless. Learn lessons from AOL's rise that can guide AI's broader adoption today. The podcast also dives into Anthropic's lightning-fast Haiku 4.5, perfect for simple tasks, and discusses how to effectively use AI for script extraction. Enjoy insights on new AI features in spreadsheets and exciting advancements in handwritten text recognition that promise to transform how we handle archival records.
Oct 27, 2025 • 49min
EP35: Nano Banana Comes to Photoshop, ChatGPT Projects Now Free, Citation Best Practices for Nano Banana, Sora 2 Goes Social, Claude Writes MS Office Documents
Discover how Google’s Nano Banana integration with Photoshop is set to change the game for historical photo restoration. The co-hosts delve into the exciting news that ChatGPT Projects are now accessible for free, making it easier for genealogists to organize their research. They also provide essential tips on citing AI-modified images to maintain trust in historical accuracy. In RapidFire, hear about Sora 2's social media features, Claude's new document editing capabilities, and recent advancements in local language models.
Sep 29, 2025 • 1h 17min
EP34: 2025 Mid-Year AI Review, FamilySearch Full-Text Goes Live, Nano Banana Photo Restoration Tips, AI's Environmental Impact
Co-hosts dive into the groundbreaking AI advancements of 2025, highlighting DeepSeek's open-source impact and the innovative features of GPT-5. They celebrate FamilySearch's Full-Text Search going live, allowing access to 1.4 billion records. Listeners learn photo restoration tips using Nano Banana, including when it's effective. The duo also discusses the environmental implications of AI, Google’s new mobile app features, and a significant antitrust ruling reshaping the search landscape. Expect engaging insights from real genealogists using AI to uncover family histories!
Sep 10, 2025 • 1h 6min
EP33: ChatGPT 5 Aftermath, Nano Banana Image Revolution, Save Time with AI Citations, Anthropic Changes its Stance on Chat Privacy, The AI Browser Wars Heat Up
Co-hosts explore the mixed reception of ChatGPT 5 and OpenAI's quick responses. They delve into Google's innovative Nano Banana model for selective image editing, sparking debates around photo ethics in genealogy. Mark provides practical advice on crafting AI citation prompts, emphasizing the importance of 'good enough' over perfection. Discussions also touch on Apple's rumored partnership with Google, new AI study modes for education, Anthropic's copyright settlement, and shifting privacy policies, plus the escalating browser wars in the AI landscape.
Aug 11, 2025 • 1h 2min
EP32: ChatGPT-5 Arrives, Study Mode for ChatGPT, Claude 4.1 Upgrade, OpenAI Goes Open Source, Earnings Season Good for Big AI, Google Loses Another Monopoly Appeal
The arrival of ChatGPT-5 brings improved reasoning and reduced errors, making it a game-changer for genealogists. OpenAI's new Study Mode acts like a personal tutor, enhancing learning experiences. Beginners are cautioned against complex AI tasks, emphasizing the importance of mastering the basics first. The discussion also covers the exciting release of NotebookLM, which adds multimedia support, and outlines the impressive earnings reported by AI firms, alongside Google's ongoing legal challenges.
Aug 8, 2025 • 24min
EP31: Special Episode - ChatGPT-5 Finally Drops with Big Improvements for Genealogists
The hosts delve into the exciting launch of ChatGPT-5, detailing its significant upgrades for genealogists, like automated model selection and enhanced reasoning that cut down hallucinations by 45%. They demonstrate improved image analysis with old photos, showing how the AI now suggests research avenues automatically. The discussion also covers the hosts' new course on utilizing AI in family history research, designed to make these tools more accessible to everyone. Additional features include a revamped voice mode that introduces quirky personalities!
Aug 6, 2025 • 1h 10min
EP30: ChatGPT Agent Can Research For You, Security In The Age of AI, What AI Is Good For, AI Office Suite Wars Heat Up
Co-hosts dive into the innovative ChatGPT Agent that can autonomously handle research tasks with ease. They highlight crucial security tips for protecting sensitive family data in an AI-driven world. A back-to-basics look at AI reveals its four strengths: summarization, extraction, generation, and translation. The conversation heats up with insights on OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google's competitive AI office suites, alongside massive infrastructure investments and a new AI action plan by the White House.
Jul 28, 2025 • 1h 7min
EP29: Perplexity's Comet Browser Revolutionizes Research, Grok 4 Released, Context is King, Google’s Video Generator Gets an Upgrade, ChatGPT Agent Launches
Delve into the revolutionary Comet browser that integrates AI directly into web pages, transforming genealogical research. Discover Grok 4's impressive benchmarks and its challenges, including behavioral quirks. Learn about 'context engineering'—a technique to enhance AI interactions by providing rich information. The hosts also discuss Google's Veo 3 tool that magically animates photos into videos. Lastly, explore the dramatic Windsurf acquisition and the new ChatGPT Agent capable of controlling computers autonomously.
Jul 21, 2025 • 1h 2min
EP28: AI-Based Transcriptions Transform Genealogy, FamilySearch Interview with David Ouimette, Grok 4's Anticipated Release, Apple Changes Its AI Strategy
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.
Jul 14, 2025 • 1h 13min
EP27: AI Image Restoration Concerns, Perplexity's Future, Copyright Cases Are Shaping The Future of AI, Project Workspaces Help You Stay Organized
The co-hosts dive into the controversial world of AI image restoration, questioning its impact on authentic family photos. They ponder the future of Perplexity and its unique research capabilities. Legal battles are analyzed, particularly Disney's case against MidJourney, highlighting copyright implications for AI training. A handy tip showcases how project workspaces can streamline genealogical research. Lastly, the discussion touches on Meta's hiring spree and the importance of critically assessing AI news as tools proliferate in everyday software.
