Events - Event View

SESSION 1 - 9:10 am Pacific Time:
An Introduction to AI for Family Historians - Steve Little 

What can AI actually do for genealogists — and where does it fall short? This practical session demystifies tools like ChatGPT and Claude, showing you how to use them effectively for summarizing documents, extracting information, translating records, and drafting narratives. Learn to craft prompts that get results, understand why AI "hallucinates," and apply verification strategies you already use as a researcher. Walk away with concrete steps to start using AI responsibly in your family history work.

Steve Little is the AI Program Director for the National Genealogical Society and has lifelong passions for language, technology, and genealogy. He completed graduate-level courses in applied linguistics, specializing in natural language processing and computational linguistics, two pillars of today’s large language models of AI; his first career was spent in and around libraries (law, local, university, and state archives) building information systems. 

SESSION 2 - 10:20 am Pacific Time:
Yes, You Can Use AI to Help You Research - Mark Thompson 
What if you had a research assistant who could find and analyze dozens of documents in minutes for you? Today's AI tools make this possible.

In this session, designed for beginner to intermediate researchers, you'll see real-world examples of how the newest crop of AI tools can reliably support your genealogy research, without the crazy hallucinations and mysterious citations common just a year ago. Whether you're just starting out with the use of AI in genealogy or tackling a stubborn research brick wall, you'll leave with a clear sense of how you can use AI to give your research a powerful head start

Mark Thompson is a professional genealogist and public speaker specializing in the application of artificial intelligence to genealogy. As co-host of the Family History AI Show podcast alongside Steve Little, Mark helps genealogists bridge the gap between high technology and their family history research. Mark serves as President of the Victoria Genealogical Society and chairs their DNA Special Interest Group. Mark is a frequent presenter on technology-centric genealogy topics including AI, Genetic Genealogy, and Family Archiving.

SESSION 3 - 12:00 pm Pacific Time:
AI-Powered Research Logs: From Chaos to Clarity by Diana Elder

Effective genealogy research requires systematic logging of every search, source, and finding. Learn how AI tools can streamline research log creation and transform your logged data into actionable insights.

Discover how AI can help document research sessions by transcribing findings, abstracting key information from records, and creating proper source citations for your log entries. Learn to export research logs to CSV files and use AI tools to analyze patterns, identify research gaps, and prioritize next steps. Gain practical skills for maintaining detailed research documentation and using AI to extract meaningful insights from accumulated research data.

Diana Elder, AG®, AGL® is a professional genealogist accredited in the Gulf South region of the United States and a Commissioner for ICAPGen. She authored Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist’s Guide and co-authored Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist’s Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence.

SESSION 4 - 1:10 pm Pacific Time:
Building Applications to Teach You Genealogy - Ashley Bens
One of the most remarkable uses of AI is the potential for the average person to build their own software programs. This session explores how to build simple educational web applications tailored to your genealogy learning needs. Ashley will cover the tools available for building web applications, how to design and build them using AI, and how to organize the content within them to help you build your genealogy skills. You will leave with actionable ideas for creating tools to help you on your unique genealogy journey. No prior experience with web design or programming is required! 

Ashley Bens serves as the Director of Training and Development for Research Administration at Boston University. She is a member of the Coalition for Responsible AI in Genealogy and has more than 20 years of experience in genealogical research. Her formal education background is in language, linguistics (focus on historical), education and instructional design, project management, and digital media design. Her genealogical focus is New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Great Lakes, Germany, and Italy.