The Family History AI Show

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little examine Google's groundbreaking Gemini 3 release, which delivers state-of-the-art multimodal reasoning and sets a new benchmark for AI capabilities. They also explore ChatGPT's upgrade to version 5.1 with improved instruction following and better handling of longer conversation.The hosts discuss Canva's new Creative Operating System, which now generates AI-powered designs directly within the platform.This week's Tip of the Week demonstrates how Gemini 3 can use the context you provide it to greatly improve the accuracy of your hand written transcription.In RapidFire, they cover NotebookLM's new deep research mode, Nano Banana's integration into Photoshop, Anthropic's privacy policy changes regarding training data, and how Claude's new usage monitoring feature can reduce your stress level.Timestamps:In the News:04:17 Google Gemini 3’s Multimodal AI Reaches New Heights13:47 ChatGPT 5.1 upgrade is now better at following your Instructions22:39 Canva Creative Operating System: AI-Powered Design GenerationTip of the Week:26:21 Adding Reasoning to Your Transcriptions Improves AccuracyRapidFire:36:40 NotebookLM Becomes a Fully Featured Research Tool43:40 Nano Banana is Now Available in Photoshop47:20 Anthropic Announces Claude Chats Will Be Used for Training Data54:13 View Your Claude Usage in SettingsResource Links:Intro to Family History AI by the Family History AI Show Academyhttps://tixoom.app/fhaishowGoogle Gemini 3Introducing Gemini 3: A New Era of Intelligencehttps://blog.google/products/gemini/gemini-3/ChatGPT 5.1A smarter, more conversationalhttps://openai.com/index/gpt-5-1/GPT-5.1 New Features Explainedhttps://scalevise.com/resources/gpt-5-1-new-features/Canva Creative Operating SystemIntroducing Canva's Creative Operating Systemhttps://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/creative-operating-system/NotebookLM Deep ResearchNotebookLM adds Deep Research and support for more source typeshttps://blog.google/technology/google-labs/notebooklm-deep-research-file-types/Nano Banana in PhotoshopCreate with unlimited generations using Google Gemini 3 (Nano Banana Pro) in Adobe Fireflyhttps://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2025/11/20/google-gemini-3-nano-banana-pro-firefly-photoshopAnthropic Privacy Policy UpdateAnthropic Will Use Claude Chats for Training Data: How to Opt Outhttps://www.wired.com/story/anthropic-using-claude-chats-for-training-how-to-opt-out/Updates to Consumer Terms and Privacy Policyhttps://www.anthropic.com/news/updates-to-our-consumer-termsClaude Usage MonitoringUsage Limit Best Practiceshttps://support.claude.com/en/articles/9797557-usage-limit-best-practicesTags:Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Canva, NotebookLM, Nano Banana, Anthropic Claude, Photo Restoration

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little discuss how new AI browsers are changing how genealogists research. They compare OpenAI's Atlas, Microsoft Edge, Google's Gemini, and Perplexity's Comet, explaining which features help family historians most.The hosts share lessons from the early AOL era that can be applied to the AI era. They also explore Anthropic's new Haiku 4.5, a very fast model that works great for simple tasks like transcription and summarization.Don’t miss this week's Tip of the Week, where Steve shows how AI can help you write better AI prompts. He uses an example for extracting information from draft cards to show how useful this approach can be.In RapidFire, they cover new AI features in spreadsheets, major improvements in transcribing old handwriting, and how Microsoft Copilot's new agent store tries to help you with common tasks.Timestamps:In the News:01:20 Browser Wars Heat Up: OpenAI Atlas, Edge, and Gemini Compete16:50 What AI Can Learn from AOL: Avoiding Walled Garden Mistakes29:10 Anthropic's Haiku 4.5: When Smaller Models Beat Bigger OnesTip of the Week:39:50 Using AI to Write Better Prompts for Historical DocumentsRapidFire:47:19 AI Makes Spreadsheets Easier: Google Sheets vs Excel54:35 Reading Old Handwriting Gets Better: DeepSeek and Google Updates01:05:15 Microsoft Copilot Adds Writing and Prompt CoachesResource Links:Genealogy and AI Facebook to hit 20k users! https://www.facebook.com/groups/genealogyandaiAn In-Depth Look at OpenAI's AI Browserhttps://intuitionlabs.ai/articles/chatgpt-atlas-openai-browserDeepSeek AI created DeepSeek-OCR https://www.infoq.com/news/2025/10/deepseek-ocr/Nearly perfect on handwriting recognition https://generativehistory.substack.com/p/has-google-quietly-solved-two-ofGlobal AI Browser Market Sizehttps://market.us/report/ai-browser-market/Benchmarking Claude Haiku 4.5 and Sonnet 4.5 on 400 Real PRshttps://www.qodo.ai/blog/thinking-vs-thinking-benchmarking-claude-haiku-4-5-and-sonnet-4-5-on-400-real-prs/Anthropic’s Claude Haiku 4.5 Brings Enterprise-Grade Speed and Savings to Customer-Facing AIhttps://www.cxtoday.com/contact-center/anthropics-claude-haiku-4-5-brings-enterprise-grade-speed-and-savings-to-customer-facing-ai/Top 10 AI Spreadsheet Toolshttps://www.knack.com/blog/top-ai-spreadsheet-tools/Prompt Coach: Prebuilt agent for Microsoft 365 Copilot Chathttps://rishonapowerplatform.com/2025/03/11/prompt-coach-prebuilt-agent-for-microsoft-365-copilot-chat/Tags:Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, AI Browsers, OpenAI Atlas, Google Gemini, Microsoft Edge, Perplexity Comet, Anthropic Haiku, Meta-Prompting, Spreadsheet AI, OCR Technology, Handwritten Text, DeepSeek, Microsoft Copilot, AI Agents, Document Extraction, Family History, Browser Wars, AI Models

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore how Google's Nano Banana photo restoration tool will revolutionize image restoration by integrating with Adobe Photoshop. This move will greatly reduce unintended changes to historical photos when editing them with AI.Next, they unpack OpenAI’s move to make ChatGPT Projects available to free-tier users, making research organization more accessible for genealogists.This week's Tip of the Week provides essential guidance on the responsible use AI when editing historical photos using AI tools like Nano Banana, ensuring transparency and trust in historical photographs.In RapidFire, they cover OpenAI's new Sora 2 AI-video social media platform, Claude's new ability to create and edit Microsoft Office files, memory features in Claude Projects, advancements in local language models, and how OpenAI's massive infrastructure deals are changing the AI landscape.Timestamps:In the News:02:43 Adobe improves historical photo restoration by adding Nano Banana to Photoshop09:34 ChatGPT Projects are Now FreeTip of the Week:13:36 Citations for AI-Restored Images Build Trust in AI-Modified PhotosRapidFire:21:24 Sora 2 Goes Social27:23 Claude Adds Microsoft Office Creation and Editing34:26 Memory Features Come to Claude Projects38:32 Apple and Amazon both create Local Language Model tools44:47 OpenAI's Big Data Centre Deal with Oracle Resource LinksOpenAI announces free access to ChatGPT Projectshttps://help.openai.com/en/articles/6825453-chatgpt-release-notesEngadget: OpenAI Rolls Out ChatGPT Projects to Free Usershttps://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-rolls-out-chatgpt-projects-to-free-users-215027802.htmlForbes: OpenAI Makes ChatGPT Projects Freehttps://www.forbes.com/sites/quickerbettertech/2025/09/14/small-business-technology-roundup-microsoft-copilot-does-not-improve-productivity-and-openai-makes-chatgpt-project-free/Responsible AI Photo Restorationhttps://makingfamilyhistory.com/responsible-ai-photo-restoration/Claude now has memory, but only for certain usershttps://mashable.com/article/anthropic-claude-ai-now-has-memory-for-some-usersNew Apple Intelligence features are available todayhttps://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/new-apple-intelligence-features-are-available-today/Introducing Amazon Lens Livehttps://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/search-image-amazon-lens-live-shopping-rufusAmazon Lens Live Can Scan and Pull Up Matcheshttps://www.pcmag.com/news/spot-an-item-you-wish-to-buy-amazon-lens-live-can-scan-and-pull-up-matchesA Joint Statement from OpenAI and Microsoft About Their Changing Partnershiphttps://openai.com/index/joint-statement-from-openai-and-microsoft/The Verge: OpenAI and Oracle Pen $300 Billion Compute Dealhttps://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/776170/oracle-openai-300-billion-contract-project-stargateReuters: OpenAI and Oracle Sign $300 Billion Computing Dealhttps://www.reuters.com/technology/openai-oracle-sign-300-billion-computing-deal-wsj-reports-2025-09-10/?utm_source=chatgpt.comTagsArtificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, Photo Restoration, AI Tools, OpenAI, Google, Adobe Photoshop, ChatGPT Projects, Nano Banana, Image Editing, AI Citations, Sora 2, Video Generation, Claude, Microsoft Office, Apple Intelligence, Amazon Lens, Oracle, Cloud Computing, Local Language Models, AI Infrastructure, Responsible AI, Historical Photos

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little review the biggest AI breakthroughs of 2025 so far, from DeepSeek's open-source revolution to GPT-5's unified reasoning model.Mark and Steve also celebrate FamilySearch's Full-Text Search moving from experimental labs to the main website, covering 1.4 billion records across 4,300 collections plus new summarization and filtering features.This week's Tip of the Week provides practical guidance on using Nano Banana for photo restoration, explaining when it works brilliantly and when to exercise caution with damaged images.In RapidFire, they examine competing reports on AI's environmental impact, explore Google's new AI Mode in mobile apps, and discuss the landmark antitrust ruling that forces Google to share search data with competitors.Timestamps:In the News:03:44 2025 Mid-Year Review: AI's Explosive Growth in Genealogy29:08 FamilySearch Full Text Search Is Now Live37:57 AI Success Stories in the Wild: Real Genealogists, Real ResultsTip of the Week:47:53 Best Uses for Nano Banana (Gemini Nano): Small Model, Big ImpactRapidFire:59:54 AI's Environmental Debate: Energy Costs vs. Benefits1:03:50 Google AI in Mobile Apps: What It Means for Genealogists1:11:07 Google Antitrust Ruling Issued: Impact on AI DevelopmentResource Links:Intro to Family History AI by the Family History AI Show Academyhttps://tixoom.app/fhaishowFull-Text Search (must be logged in to use this link)https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/full-text/Full-Text Search Leaves FamilySearch Labshttps://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/full-text-search-leaves-familysearch-labsHow do I use FullText Search?https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-use-fulltext-searchResponsible AI Photo Restorationhttps://makingfamilyhistory.com/responsible-ai-photo-restoration/WaPo AI Energy Usage, Sept 2024https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/09/18/energy-ai-use-electricity-water-data-centers/Google: How much energy does Google's AI use? We did the mathhttps://cloud.google.com/blog/products/infrastructure/measuring-the-environmental-impact-of-ai-inference/Judge orders Google to share search data as part of antitrust ruling --- but Google gets to keep Chromehttps://www.tomsguide.com/computing/search-engines/judge-orders-google-to-share-search-data-as-part-of-antitrust-ruling-but-google-gets-to-keep-chrome?utm_source=chatgpt.com Tags:Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, DeepSeek R1, AI Reasoning, Open Source AI, Free AI Tools, ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, OpenAI Operator, AI Agents, Beginner AI Guide, Research Tools, Document Analysis, AI Democratization, Context Windows, Deep Research, AI Writing, Browser Automation, Genealogy Research, AI Accessibility, Reasoning Models, AI Education

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little return from summer break to discuss the mixed reception of ChatGPT 5 and how OpenAI responded to user feedback.They explore Google's game-changing Nano Banana (Gemini Flash Image) model that revolutionizes selective image editing, reigniting debates about AI photo restoration in genealogy.This week's Tip of the Week emphasizes not letting perfect be the enemy of the good, especially when it comes to AI-powered citation. Mark shares his experience with 100 citations as part of the WikiTree Challenge.In RapidFire, they cover Apple's possible Gemini partnership, new AI study modes for back-to-school season, Anthropic's copyright settlement, and controversial changes to its privacy policy. They close with escalating skirmishes in the escalating AI browser wars.Timestamps:In the News:05:14 ChatGPT 5 Launch Aftermath: Mixed Reception and Quick Fixes 17:15 Nano Banana: Google's Game-Changing Image Editing ModelTip of the Week:32:38 Don't Let Perfect Be the Enemy of Good: Building Citation PromptsRapidFire:43:27 Apple Explores Google Gemini Partnership for Siri 47:16 Back to School: AI Study Modes from ChatGPT and Gemini 53:00 Anthropic Settles Copyright Lawsuit with Authors 56:29 Anthropic Reverses Privacy Stance on Training Data 60:55 AI Browser Wars: Anthropic and Google Enter the FrayResource LinksIntro to Family History AI by the Family History AI Show Academyhttps://tixoom.app/fhaishowMass Intelligence by Ethan Mollickhttps://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/mass-intelligenceCreate and edit images with Geminihttps://deepmind.google/models/gemini/image/Google take 'giant leap' with launch of 'Nano Banana'https://www.uniladtech.com/news/ai/google-giant-leap-nano-banana-launch-image-editing-305898-20250828Apple Explores Using Google Gemini AI to Power Revamped Sirihttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-22/apple-explores-using-google-gemini-ai-to-power-revamped-siriGuided Learning in Gemini: From answers to understandinghttps://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/guided-learning/Introducing study modehttps://openai.com/index/chatgpt-study-mode/Anthropic Settles Copyright Lawsuithttps://www.reuters.com/legal/government/anthropics-surprise-settlement-adds-new-wrinkle-ai-copyright-war-2025-08-27/Anthropic Updates Data Policyhttps://www.anthropic.com/news/updates-to-our-consumer-termsNew Opt-Out Policy Reverses Stance on Using Consumer Data for AI Traininghttps://techcrunch.com/2025/08/28/anthropic-users-face-a-new-choice-opt-out-or-share-your-data-for-ai-training/Anthropic launches a Claude AI agent that lives in Chromehttps://techcrunch.com/2025/08/26/anthropic-launches-a-claude-ai-agent-that-lives-in-chrome/Google is launching a Gemini integration in Chromehttps://techcrunch.com/2025/05/20/google-is-launching-a-gemini-integration-in-chrome/TagsArtificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, Technology, ChatGPT, OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, Image Editing, Nano Banana, AI Photography, Citation Management, WikiTree, AI Study Modes, Copyright Law, Privacy Policy, Browser Extensions, AI Training Data, Photo Restoration, Apple Siri, Educational AI, Model Selection, AI Ethics, Chrome Integration

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore the groundbreaking release of ChatGPT-5, which arrived after over a year of anticipation. They discuss how this new model transforms the AI landscape with better reasoning, larger context windows, and dramatically reduced hallucinations.The hosts examine OpenAI's new Study and Learn Mode, which acts as a personal tutor rather than just providing answers, making it ideal for genealogists who want to deepen their understanding of their favourite topic.This week's Tip of the Week cautions beginners about challenging AI tasks like handwritten transcriptions and structured files, recommending they master the basics first.In RapidFire, they cover OpenAI's first open-source release since 2019, NotebookLM's video capabilities, and impressive AI company earnings reports.Timestamps:In the News:00:55 ChatGPT-5 Has Arrived: Improved Features (mostly) for Genealogists16:29 OpenAI's Study and Learn Mode: Your Personal Genealogy Tutor23:40 Claude Releases Opus 4.1: Enhanced Reasoning and WritingTip of the Week:29:25 AI Tasks for Beginners to Be Cautious OfRapidFire:40:16 OpenAI Releases First Open Source Model Since 201948:33 NotebookLM Upgrade Adds Video Support53:34 AI Companies Report Record EarningsResource LinksIntroduction to Family History AIhttps://tixoom.app/fhaishow/OpenAI GPT-5 Model Cardhttps://openai.com/index/gpt-5-system-card/Introducing study modehttps://openai.com/index/chatgpt-study-mode/ChatGPT Study Mode - FAQhttps://help.openai.com/en/articles/11780217-chatgpt-study-mode-faqClaude Opus 4.1https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-opus-4-1OpenAI announces two "gpt-oss" open AI modelshttps://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/08/openai-releases-its-first-open-source-models-since-2019/Google's NotebookLM rolls out Video Overviewshttps://techcrunch.com/2025/07/29/googles-notebooklm-rolls-out-video-overviews/Tech bubble going pop: AI pays the price for inflated expectationshttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/aug/07/the-guardian-view-on-a-tech-bubble-going-pop-ai-pays-the-price-for-inflated-expectationsIs The AI Bubble About To Burst?https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2024/08/07/is-the-ai-bubble-about-to-burst/Google loses appeal in antitrust battle with Fortnite makerhttps://masslawyersweekly.com/2025/08/06/google-play-monopoly-verdict-epic-games-win/Department of Justice Prevails in Landmark Antitrust Case Against Googlehttps://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-prevails-landmark-antitrust-case-against-googleTagsArtificial Intelligence, Technology, Genealogy, Family History, OpenAI, ChatGPT-5, Claude, Large Language Models, AI Learning Tools, Study Mode, Open Source AI, NotebookLM, Video Overviews, AI Reasoning, Context Windows, Hallucination Reduction, GEDCOM Files, Handwritten Transcription, Document Analysis, AI Earnings, Google Antitrust, Apache License, Local AI Processing, Privacy, AI Education, Tutoring Systems, Coding Capabilities, Multilingual Processing, AI Development, Family History Research, Genealogists, AI Tools, Machine Learning

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little deliver a special same-day episode covering the long-awaited release of ChatGPT-5, which launched today, August 7, 2025.They explore the most significant improvements in the upgrade for genealogists, including automated model selection that eliminates confusing settings for beginners, enhanced reasoning capabilities that reduce hallucinations by 45%, and big increase in the amount of information or documents that can be processed at once. Mark demonstrates ChatGPT-5's improved image analysis with cabinet card photos, revealing how the model now provides research suggestions automatically.This extra podcast also announces the launch of the Family History AI Show Academy, with Mark and Steve's first five-week course... "Introduction to Family History AI" beginning October 14th.Introduction to Family History AI with Mark Thompson and Steve Littlehttps://tixoom.app/fhaishow/Key Features Highlighted:Automated Model SelectionEnhanced ReasoningLarger Context WindowImproved Vision AnalysisBetter Document GroundingResource Links:Introduction to Family History AI https://tixoom.app/fhaishow/GPT-5 is here https://openai.com/gpt-5/Introducing GPT-5 https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-5/OpenAI launches new GPT-5 model for all ChatGPT users https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/07/openai-launches-gpt-5-model-for-all-chatgpt-users.htmlTags:Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, OpenAI, ChatGPT-5, AI Tools, Emergency Podcast, Model Selection, Reasoning Models, Context Window, Image Analysis, Cabinet Cards, Handwritten Text Recognition, Document Processing, Hallucination Reduction, AI Education, Family History AI Show Academy, Research Automation, Vision Analysis, Agentic AI, Professional Genealogy

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore OpenAI's groundbreaking ChatGPT Agent, demonstrating how this autonomous tool can research, analyze, and perform complex tasks on your behalf.Next, they address important security concerns to consider in the new world of AI agents, introducing practical guidelines for protecting sensitive family data and avoiding prompt injection attacks.This week's Tip of the Week provides a back-to-basics guide on what AI is and its four core strengths: summarization, extraction, generation, and translation.In RapidFire, they discuss OpenAI's rumored office suite, Microsoft and Google's own efforts to integrate AI into their office suites, and recently announced AI infrastructure investments, including; Meta's Manhattan-sized data center and President Trump's new AI Action Plan.The hosts also announce their new Family History AI Show Academy, a five-week course beginning in October of 2025. See https://tixoom.app/fhaishow/ for more details.Timestamps:In the News:05:20 ChatGPT Agent: Autonomous Research Assistant for Genealogists22:49 Safe and Secure in the Age of AITip of the Week:36:20 What is AI and What is it Good For? Back to BasicsRapidFire:50:57 OpenAI's Office Suite Rumors53:56 Microsoft and Google Bring AI to Their Office Suites60:17 Big AI Infrastructure: Manhattan-Sized Data CentersResource Links:Introduction to Family History AIhttps://tixoom.app/fhaishow/Do agents work in the browser?https://www.bensbites.com/p/do-agents-work-in-the-browserIntroducing ChatGPT agent: bridging research and actionhttps://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-agent/OpenAI's new ChatGPT Agent can control an entire computer and do tasks for youhttps://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/709158/openai-new-release-chatgpt-agent-operator-deep-researchOpenAI's New ChatGPT Agent Tries to Do It Allhttps://www.wired.com/story/openai-chatgpt-agent-launch/Agent demo posthttps://x.com/rowancheung/status/1945896543263080736OpenAI Quietly Designed a Rival to Google Workspace, Microsoft Officehttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/openai-quietly-designed-rival-google-workspace-microsoft-officeOpenAI Is Quietly Creating Tools to Take on Microsoft Office and Google Workspacehttps://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/stocks/MSFT/pressreleases/33074368/openai-is-quietly-creating-tools-to-take-on-microsoft-office-and-google-workspace-googl/What's new in Microsoft 365 Copilot?https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/what%E2%80%99s-new-in-microsoft-365-copilot--june-2025/4427592Google Workspace enables the future of AI-powered work for every businesshttps://workspace.google.com/blog/product-announcements/empowering-businesses-with-AIGoogle Workspace Review: Will it Serve My Needs?https://www.emailtooltester.com/en/blog/google-workspace-review/Tags:Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, AI Agents, ChatGPT Agent, OpenAI, Computer Use, AI Security, Prompt Injection, Database Analysis, RootsMagic, Cemetery Records, AI Office Suite, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Google Workspace, Data Centers, AI Infrastructure, Natural Language Processing, Large Language Models, Context Windows, AI Education, Family History AI Show Academy, AI Reasoning Models, Autonomous Research, AI Ethics

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore Perplexity's groundbreaking Comet browser, which brings AI directly to web pages and can autonomously navigate sites to collect genealogical data.They examine Grok 4's impressive benchmark performance while discussing its limitations for genealogical research and safety concerns.This week's Tip of the Week introduces "context engineering" - the art of providing maximum information to AI tools through examples, documents, and prior conversations for superior results.In RapidFire, they cover Google's Veo 3 photo-to-video tool, Silicon Valley's dramatic Windsurf acquisition battle, and OpenAI's new ChatGPT Agent that can control computers autonomously.Timestamps:In the News:07:47 Perplexity's Comet Browser: AI-Enhanced Research and Web Surfing20:32 Grok 4 Released: Benchmark Success, Real-World ChallengesTip of the Week:27:53 Context Engineering: Maximizing AI Results with Rich InformationRapidFire:36:02  Google Veo 3: Transform Photos into Videos44:19 Windsurf Acquisition Drama: AI Consolidation Begins53:58 ChatGPT Agent: Autonomous Computer Control ArrivesResource LinksOfficial Comet Launch Announcementhttps://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/introducing-cometPerplexity launches Comet, an AI-powered web browserhttps://techcrunch.com/2025/07/09/perplexity-launches-comet-an-ai-powered-web-browser/Every: Vibe Check: Grok 4 Aced Its Exams. The Real World Is a Different Storyhttps://every.to/vibe-check/vibe-check-grok-4-aced-its-exams-the-real-world-is-a-different-storyLM Arena Leaderboardhttps://lmarena.ai/leaderboardTechCrunch: Google adds image-to-video generation capability to Veo 3https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/10/google-adds-image-to-video-generation-capability-to-veo-3/Windsurf's CEO goes to Google; OpenAI's acquisition falls aparthttps://techcrunch.com/2025/07/11/windsurfs-ceo-goes-to-google-openais-acquisition-falls-apart/Every: Vibe Check: OpenAI Enters the Browser Wars With ChatGPT Agenthttps://every.to/vibe-check/vibe-check-openai-enters-the-browser-wars-with-chatgpt-agentTechCrunch: AWS is launching an AI agent marketplace next week with Anthropic as a partnerhttps://techcrunch.com/2025/07/10/aws-is-launching-an-ai-agent-marketplace-next-week-with-anthropic-as-a-partner/TagsArtificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, AI Browsers, Web Navigation, Perplexity Comet, Grok 4, ChatGPT Agent, Context Engineering, AI Tools, Agentic Browsers, Video Generation, Google Veo 3, Windsurf Acquisition

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore how AI-based transcriptions are revolutionizing genealogical research across the industry. They examine FamilySearch's Full-Text Search expansion to over 1.25 billion records and Ancestry's new document transcription tool.The episode features an exclusive interview with David Ouimette from FamilySearch, who reveals how they're making previously unsearchable handwritten documents accessible through AI technology.This week's Tip of the Week demonstrates Dan Maloney's innovative Genealogy Assistant HTR tool for transcribing multiple documents simultaneously.In RapidFire, they discuss Grok 4's anticipated release, Apple's shift to integrate ChatGPT and Claude rather than develop their own AI, and Google Photos' new natural language search capabilities powered by Gemini.Timestamps:In the News:03:23 AI Transcriptions Everywhere: The New Normal in Genealogy25:33 Building AI Apps with ClaudeInterview:29:34 David Ouimette on FamilySearch's AI JourneyRapidFire:49:27 Grok 4 Release Announcement51:35 Apple Pivots to Third-Party AI Integration56:02 Google Photos Adds Natural Language SearchResource LinksExpanded Access to Full-Text Searchhttps://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/full-text-search-experimental-aiAncestry announces the Beta launch of its new document transcription featurehttps://www.ancestry.com/c/ancestry-blog/ancestry-news/document-transcription-featureSnagit Screen Capturehttps://www.techsmith.com/snagitWindows Snipping Toolhttps://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-snipping-tool-to-capture-screenshots-00246869-1843-655f-f220-97299b865f6bScreenshots or screen recordings on Machttps://support.apple.com/en-hk/guide/mac-help/mh26782/macDan Maloney's AI Handwritten Text Recognition Toolhttps://www.genea.ca/htr-tool/Anthropic: Build and share AI-powered apps with Claudehttps://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-powered-artifactsAnthropic now lets you make apps right from its Claude AI chatbothttps://www.theverge.com/news/693342/anthropic-claude-ai-apps-artifactGrok 4 release livestream on Wednesday at 8pm PThttps://x.com/elonmusk/status/1942325820170907915Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok launches into antisemitic rant amid updateshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/07/08/elon-musk-grok-ai-antisemitism/Apple's Original AI announcement on June 10, 2024https://www.apple.com/ca/newsroom/2024/06/introducing-apple-intelligence-for-iphone-ipad-and-mac/Apple's Integrates ChatGPT into iPhoneshttps://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/iphone/iph00fd3c8c2/iosApple Weighs Using Anthropic or OpenAI to Power Siri in Major Reversalhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-30/apple-weighs-replacing-siri-s-ai-llms-with-anthropic-claude-or-openai-chatgptGoogle Resumes Rollout of AI-Based 'Ask Photos' Image Searchhttps://petapixel.com/2025/06/27/google-resumes-rollout-of-ai-based-ask-photos-image-search/Google Product Manager says Ask Photos paused for quality issueshttps://x.com/jamieasp/status/1929895255844745284Ask Photos coming to more Google Photos usershttps://blog.google/products/photos/updates-ask-photos-search/Ask Photos' Original Announcement May 14, 2024https://petapixel.com/2024/05/14/gemini-powered-ask-photos-brings-an-ai-assistant-to-google-photos/TagsArtificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, AI Transcription, FamilySearch, Ancestry, Document Analysis, Handwritten Text Recognition, Full-Text Search, Screen Capture Tools, Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, OCR Technology, Dan Maloney, Genealogy Assistant, API Keys, Claude AI, Anthropic, Google Photos, Apple Intelligence, Grok AI, David Ouimette, Truth Sets, Research Tools

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little examine the controversial rise of AI image "restoration" and discuss how entirely new images are being generated, rather than the original photos being restored. This is raising concerns about the preservation of authentic family photos.They discuss Mark's reconsideration of canceling his Perplexity subscription after rediscovering its unique strengths for supporting research.The hosts analyze recent court rulings that permit AI training on legally acquired content, plus Disney's ongoing case against Midjourney.This week's Tip of the Week explores how project workspaces in ChatGPT and Claude can greatly simplify your genealogical research.In RapidFire, the hosts cover Meta's aggressive AI hiring spree, the proliferation of AI tools in everyday software, including a new genealogy transcription tool from Dan Maloney, and the importance of reading AI news critically.Timestamps:In the News:06:50 The Pros and Cons of "Restoring" Family Photos with AI23:58 Mark is Cancelling Perplexity... Maybe32:33 AI Copyright Cases Are Starting to Work Their Way Through the CourtsTip of the Week:40:09 How Project Workspaces Help Genealogists Stay OrganizedRapidFire:48:51 Meta Goes on a Hiring Spree56:09 AI Is Everywhere!01:06:00 Reading AI News ResponsiblyResource LinksOpenAI: Introducing 4o Image Generation https://openai.com/index/introducing-4o-image-generation/Perplexity https://www.perplexity.ai/How does Perplexity work? https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10352895-how-does-perplexity-workAnthropic wins key US ruling on AI training in authors' copyright lawsuit https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/anthropic-wins-key-ruling-ai-authors-copyright-lawsuit-2025-06-24/Meta wins AI copyright lawsuit as US judge rules against authors https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/26/meta-wins-ai-copyright-lawsuit-as-us-judge-rules-against-authorsDisney, Universal sue image creator Midjourney for copyright infringement https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/disney-universal-sue-image-creator-midjourney-copyright-infringement-2025-06-11/Disney and Universal Sue A.I. Firm for Copyright Infringement https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/business/media/disney-universal-midjourney-ai.htmlProjects in ChatGPThttps://help.openai.com/en/articles/10169521-projects-in-chatgptMeta shares hit all-time high as Mark Zuckerberg goes on AI hiring blitz https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/30/meta-hits-all-time-mark-zuckerberg-ai-blitz.htmlHere's What Mark Zuckerberg Is Offering Top AI Talent https://www.wired.com/story/mark-zuckerberg-meta-offer-top-ai-talent-300-million/Genealogy Assistant AI Handwritten Text Recognition Tool https://www.genea.ca/htr-tool/Borland Genetics https://borlandgenetics.com/Illusion of Thinking https://machinelearning.apple.com/research/illusion-of-thinkingSimon Willison: Seven replies to the viral Apple reasoning paper -- and why they fall short https://simonwillison.net/2025/Jun/15/viral-apple-reasoning-paper/MIT: Your Brain on ChatGPT https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/your-brain-on-chatgpt/overview/MIT researchers say using ChatGPT can rot your brain. The truth is a little more complicated https://theconversation.com/mit-researchers-say-using-chatgpt-can-rot-your-brain-the-truth-is-a-little-more-complicated-259450Guiding Principles for Responsible AI in Genealogy https://craigen.org/TagsArtificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, AI Tools, Image Generation, AI Ethics, Perplexity, ChatGPT, Claude, Meta, Copyright Law, AI Training, Photo Restoration, Project Management, AI Development, Research Tools, Responsible AI Use, GRIP, AI News Analysis, Vibe Coding, Coalition for Responsible AI in Genealogy, AI Hiring, Dan Maloney, Handwritten Text Recognition

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little discuss recent updates from Google Gemini and Anthropic Claude that are reshaping AI capabilities for genealogists. Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro with its massive context window and Claude 4's hybrid reasoning models that excels at both writing and document analysis.They share insights from the RootsTech panel on responsible AI use in genealogy, and introduce the Coalition's five core principles for the response use of AI. The episode features an interview with Jessica Taylor, president of Legacy Tree Genealogists, who discusses how her company is thoughtfully experimenting with AI tools.In RapidFire, they preview ChatGPT 5's anticipated summer release, Meta's $14 billion acquisition to stay competitive, and Adobe Acrobat AI's new multi-document capabilities.Timestamps:In the News:03:45 Google Gemini 2.5 Pro: Massive Context Windows Transform Document Analysis15:09 Claude 4 Opus and Sonnet: Hybrid Reasoning Models for Writing and Research26:30 RootsTech Panel: Coalition for Responsible AI in GenealogyInterview:31:28 Jessica Taylor, CEO of Legacy Tree Genealogists, on her cautious approach to AI AdoptionRapidFire:45:07 ChatGPT 5 Coming Soon: One Model to Rule Them All51:08 Meta's $14.8 Billion Scale AI Acquisition56:42 Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant Adds Multi-Document AnalysisResource LinksGoogle I/O Conference Highlightshttps://blog.google/technology/ai/google-io-2025-all-our-announcements/Anthropic Announces Claude 4https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-4Anthropic's new Claude 4 AI models can reason over many stepshttps://techcrunch.com/2025/05/22/anthropics-new-claude-4-ai-models-can-reason-over-many-steps/Coalition for Responsible AI in Genealogyhttps://craigen.org/Jessica M. Taylorhttps://www.apgen.org/users/jessica-m-taylorLegacy Tree Genealogistshttps://www.legacytree.com/Rootstechhttps://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/ChatGPT 5 is Coming Soonhttps://www.tomsguide.com/ai/chatgpt/chatgpt-5-is-coming-soon-heres-what-we-knowMeta's $14.8 billion Scale AI deal latest test of AI partnershipshttps://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/metas-148-billion-scale-ai-deal-latest-test-ai-partnerships-2025-06-13/A frustrated Zuckerberg makes his biggest AI bethttps://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/10/zuckerberg-makes-metas-biggest-bet-on-ai-14-billion-scale-ai-deal.htmlAdobe upgrades Acrobat AI chatbot to add multi-document analysishttps://www.androidauthority.com/adobe-ai-assistant-acrobat-3451988/TagsArtificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, AI Tools, Google Gemini, Claude AI, OpenAI, ChatGPT, Meta AI, Adobe Acrobat, Responsible AI, Coalition for Responsible AI in Genealogy, RootsTech, AI Ethics, Document Analysis, AI Writing Tools, Hybrid Reasoning Models, Context Windows, Professional Genealogy, Legacy Tree Genealogists, Jessica Taylor, AI Integration, Multi-Document Analysis, AI Acquisitions

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore OpenAI's revolutionary update to ChatGPT 4o's image generation capabilities, which now creates photorealistic images with accurate text and consistent characters across multiple images.They interview Jarrett Ross from The GeneaVlogger YouTube channel, who shares how he uses AI in his business and in his projects, including an innovative facial recognition project that identifies people in historical photographs from Poland.The hosts also examine OpenAI's O3 model's groundbreaking image analysis abilities, demonstrating how it can now automatically zoom in on handwritten text and reason through complex photographic analysis.This episode showcases how AI image tools are transforming genealogical research while emphasizing the importance of responsible use.Timestamps:In the News:06:26 ChatGPT 4o Image Generation: Photorealism and Text Accuracy RevolutionInterview30:48   Interview with Jarrett Ross: AI Facial Recognition in GenealogyRapidFire:52:01 ChatGPT O3: Advanced Image Analysis with Reasoning CapabilitiesResource Links:ChatGPT 4o Image Generationhttps://openai.com/index/introducing-4o-image-generation/What OpenAI Did -- Ethan Mollickhttps://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/what-openai-didThe GeneaVlogger YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_QNoNtgi2Sk4H9Y2SInmgOpenAI Releases new o3 and o4 Mini modelshttps://openai.com/index/introducing-o3-and-o4-mini/On Jagged AGI: o3, Gemini 2.5, and everything after -- Ethan Mollickhttps://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/on-jagged-agi-o3-gemini-25-and-everythingTags:Artificial Intelligence, Genealogy, Family History, OpenAI, ChatGPT, Image Generation, Facial Recognition, Photo Analysis, AI Tools, GeneaVlogger, Jarrett Ross, Jewish Genealogy, Historical Photos, Document Analysis, OCR Technology, Handwriting Recognition, Photo Restoration, AI Ethics, Responsible AI Use, Image Authentication, DALL-E, O3 Model, Reasoning Models, Archive Photos, Community Projects

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.Timestamps:In the News:04:34 DeepSeek Shakes the AI World: Game-Changing Model from China15:51 FamilySearch Full-Text Search Turns One: From Thousands to Billions of Records23:33 Google and Microsoft Go All-In: AI Integrated into Workspace ToolsTip of the Week:29:22 Know Your Model: Understanding Instructional vs. Reasoning AIRapidFire:42:25 The Stargate Project: $500 Billion AI Infrastructure Initiative45:38 Major Model Updates: Gemini 2.0 and Grok 3 Beta Released48:41 Deep Research Becomes Industry Standard: Available Across All Major PlatformsResource Links:DeepSeek Backgrounderhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeepSeekFamily Search Free Text Searchhttps://www.familysearch.org/search/full-text/collection/listFree Text Search of Ireland, Properties, from 1298 to 1975https://www.familysearch.org/search/full-text/collection/M9J1-ZYLCopilot is now included in Microsoft 365 Personal and Familyhttps://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 Planshttps://workspace.google.com/blog/product-announcements/empowering-businesses-with-AIIntroducing OpenAI o1https://openai.com/o1/OpenAI o3-minihttps://openai.com/index/openai-o3-mini/Announcing The Stargate Projecthttps://openai.com/index/announcing-the-stargate-project/Gemini 2.0 is now available to everyonehttps://blog.google/technology/google-deepmind/gemini-model-updates-february-2025/Grok 3 Beta — The Age of Reasoning Agentshttps://x.ai/blog/grok-3Try Deep Researchhttps://blog.google/products/gemini/google-gemini-deep-research/Introducing deep research from OpenAIhttps://openai.com/index/introducing-deep-research/Introducing Perplexity Deep Researchhttps://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/introducing-perplexity-deep-researchTags: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.Timestamps:What We Can Look Forward to In 202501:02 AI Agents: The Next Big Thing08:06 Local Language Models: Improved Privacy and Security13:09 Social Media Chatbots: Coming to Your Groups18:24 AI Writing Tools: The New Normal24:16 AI Costs: Dropping Fast30:43 The AI Horse Race: Who Will Lead?Anti-Predictions: What Won't Happen in 202536:01 Handwritten Text Recognition40:21 AI Generated Family Trees and Diagrams44:06 Generated Text in ImagesResource Links:Using Claude for 'Computer Use' Taskshttps://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/build-with-claude/computer-useOpenAI's Operator Agenthttps://openai.com/index/introducing-operator/Facebook's New AI Tool for Groupshttps://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.htmlTrump's $500B Stargate AI Initiative https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronshevlin/2025/01/23/trumps-ai-push-understanding-the-500-billion-stargate-initiative/Tags: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.Timestamps:In the News:06:44 Google Deep Research: The New Challenger to Perplexity18:03 Facebook Groups Get AI Assistants24:57 NotebookLM: Major Updates for Collaborative ProjectsTip of the Week:32:15 ChatGPT Projects: Organizing Your Genealogy Do-OverRapidFire:41:52 Google's New Fact Benchmark44:00 Gemini 2.0 Release48:34 Google AI-Enhanced Search Results54:48 OpenAI's O3 Model AnnouncementResource Links:AI Seminar at the Victoria Genealogical Societyhttps://victoriags.org/content.aspx?page_id=4091&club_id=554933&item_id=2488526Legacy 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 erahttps://blog.google/technology/google-deepmind/google-gemini-ai-update-december-2024/Certified Arborist Facebook Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/12652295162Exploring Facebook's New AI Tool for Groupshttps://aigenealogyinsights.com/2024/10/22/exploring-facebooks-new-ai-tool-for-groups/NotebookLM gets a new look, audio interactivity and a premium versionhttps://blog.google/technology/google-labs/notebooklm-new-features-december-2024/Using Projects in ChatGPThttps://help.openai.com/en/articles/10169521-using-projects-in-chatgptA new benchmark for evaluating the accuracy of large language modelshttps://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 worldhttps://blog.google/products/search/ai-overviews-search-october-2024/OpenAI announces new o3 modelshttps://techcrunch.com/2024/12/20/openai-announces-new-o3-model/TagsAI, 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.Timestamps:In the News:02:41 12 Days of OpenAI: New Features and Updates12:15 Canvas Integration: Now Available Across All Models17:24 Advanced Voice Mode: ChatGPT Gets Camera ViewTip of the Week:23:29 Maximizing Free AI Tools: The Right Tool for Each TaskRapidFire:35:52 Apple Intelligence: iOS 18.2 AI Features40:20 Free GPT Search Goes Public45:22 Harvard's Million-Book Donation for AI Training51:52 OpenAI's Santa Chat ModeResource LinksChatGPThttps://chatgpt.com/12 Days of OpenAIhttps://openai.com/12-days/ChatGPT Canvas Featurehttps://www.tomsguide.com/ai/chatgpt/openai-announces-official-launch-of-canvas-for-writing-and-coding-heres-whats-newChatGPT Projects Featurehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcB97h3vrzkGPT 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 Visionhttps://www.tomsguide.com/ai/chatgpt/chatgpt-advanced-voice-with-vision-just-launched-heres-how-to-try-itChatGPT Search and the Chrome Extensionhttps://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-search/Claudehttps://claude.aiClaude Projectshttps://www.anthropic.com/news/projectsGeminihttps://gemini.google.comPerplexity AIhttps://www.perplexity.aiPerplexity Pageshttps://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/perplexity-pagesApple Intelligencehttps://www.apple.com/apple-intelligenceHarvard Digital Collectionshttps://hls.harvard.edu/today/harvards-library-innovation-lab-launches-initiative-to-use-public-domain-data-to-train-artificial-intelligence/https://institutionaldatainitiative.org/ChatGPT Santa Modehttps://help.openai.com/en/articles/10139238-santa-s-voice-in-chatgptTags (broad to specific, unique terms)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.Timestamps:In The News:03:10 AI Tools Worth Paying For in 202519:48 Specialty AI Tools to Consider in 202526:46 AI Tools Not Worth Paying For in 202532:26 OpenAI's 12 Days of Gifts BeginsTip of the Week:40:10 Treat AI Hallucinations as a Feature, not a BugRapidFire:50:06 Microsoft Copilot Vision Beta Launch53:18 Apple's Intelligence Rollout Plans56:20 Google Gemini Adds Memory Feature59:34 XAI's $6 Billion Funding RoundResource LinksChatGPT Plushttps://openai.com/index/chatgpt-plus/ChatGPT Advanced Voice Modehttps://help.openai.com/en/articles/8400625-voice-mode-faqClaude Prohttps://claude.ai/Perplexity Prohttps://www.perplexity.ai/proAcrobat AI Assistanthttps://helpx.adobe.com/ca/acrobat/using/generative-ai.htmlEleven Labshttps://elevenlabs.io/Mid Journeyhttps://www.midjourney.com/Microsoft Copilot Prohttps://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/copilotGrammarlyhttps://www.grammarly.com/ChatGPT O1 Modelhttps://openai.com/o1/ChatGPT O1 Prohttps://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-pro/Microsoft Copilot Visionhttps://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot/blog/2024/12/05/copilot-vision-now-in-preview-a-new-way-to-browse/Apple Intelligencehttps://www.apple.com/ca/apple-intelligence/Sirihttps://www.apple.com/siri/Gemini Memory Featurehttps://techcrunch.com/2024/11/19/googles-gemini-chatbot-now-has-memory/X AI Platformhttps://x.ai/Tags (broad to specific, unique terms)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.Timestamps:IN THE NEWS03:02 MyHeritage's Goes Viral (again!) with LiveMemory10:56 Top Five AI Breakthroughs for Genealogists in 2024Chatbots 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 Records27:27 The Great Bluesky MigrationTIP OF THE WEEK32:17 Use AI To Research the Home CountryRAPIDFIRE40:41 Google Loses Antitrust Cases 44:33 OpenAI Announces Web Browser Initiative48:25 Amazon's $4B Anthropic InvestmentResource LinksIN THE NEWSMyHeritage's Goes Viral (again!) with LiveMemoryLiveMemoryhttps://www.myheritage.com/livememory/Runway MLhttps://runwayml.com/TOP 5 AI BREAKTHROUGHSIntroducing OpenAI o1-previewhttps://openai.com/index/introducing-openai-o1-preview/Claude Artifactshttps://support.anthropic.com/en/articles/9487310-what-are-artifacts-and-how-do-i-use-themChatGPT Canvashttps://openai.com/index/introducing-canvas/Google NotebookLMhttps://notebooklm.google.com/Claude Projectshttps://www.anthropic.com/news/projectsPerplexity Spaceshttps://www.perplexity.ai/hub/faq/what-are-spacesIntroducing ChatGPT Searchhttps://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-search/Perplexityhttps://www.perplexity.ai/Googlehttps://www.google.com/FamilySearch Full-Text Searchhttps://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/find-the-new-full-text-search-for-historical-recordsBLUESKY MIGRATIONBluesky Socialhttps://bsky.app/Mark Thompson’s Bluesky Handlehttps://bsky.app/profile/makingfamilyhistory.comSteve Little’s Bluesky Handlehttps://bsky.app/profile/digitalarchivst.bsky.socialRAPIDFIREGoogle Loses Antitrust Caseshttps://www.npr.org/2024/08/05/nx-s1-5064624/google-justice-department-antitrust-searchhttps://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-saleOpenAI Announces Web Browser Initiativehttps://www.pcmag.com/news/openai-working-on-a-web-browser-to-compete-with-google-chromehttps://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-considers-taking-google-with-browser-information-reports-2024-11-21/Amazon's $4B Anthropic Investmenthttps://www.theverge.com/2024/11/22/24303185/amazon-anthropic-investment-ai-alexaTags 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.Timestamps:In the News:02:20  Claude 3.5 Sonnet (new): AI Writing Reaches New Heights06:50 ChatGPT Desktop Apps: Now Available for Both Macs and PCs14:00 AI Search Gets Real: AI-Enhanced Search From ChatGPTTip of the Week:19:20 Free AI Tools: How To Get Premium AI Results For FreeRapidFire:26:50 AI Agents: The Future of Computer Interaction31:20 Apple Intelligence: IOS 18.1 Starts the Rollout of AI for Apple40:26 Meta's Reuters Deal: The First (of Many?) Content Partnerships for FacebookResource Links:ANTHROPICClaude 3.5 Sonnethttps://www.anthropic.com/claude/sonnetProjects featurehttps://www.anthropic.com/news/projectsOPENAIChatGPThttps://chatgpt.com/Desktop Appshttps://openai.com/chatgpt/desktop/Advanced Voice Modehttps://help.openai.com/en/articles/8400625-voice-mode-faqGPT Searchhttps://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-search/APPLEiOS 18.1https://www.apple.com/ca/newsroom/2024/10/apple-intelligence-is-available-today-on-iphone-ipad-and-mac/Apple Intelligencehttps://www.apple.com/apple-intelligence/Sirihttps://www.apple.com/siri/Apple Photo Searchhttps://9to5mac.com/2024/09/25/photos-search-in-ios-181-actually-works-thanks-to-apple-intelligence/METAMeta AIhttps://ai.meta.com/meta-ai/Reuters Partnershiphttps://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/meta-platforms-use-reuters-news-content-ai-chatbot-2024-10-25/MISCPerplexityhttps://www.perplexity.aiMicrosoft Copilothttps://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/copilotTags: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