Ancestors and Algorithms: AI for Genealogy

By Brian

Listen to a podcast, please open Podcast Republic app. Available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Image by Brian

Category: Society & Culture

Open in Apple Podcasts


Open RSS feed


Open Website


Rate for this podcast

Subscribers: 2
Reviews: 0
Episodes: 45

Description

Stuck on a family history brick wall? It's time to add the most powerful tool to your genealogy toolkit: Artificial Intelligence. Welcome to Ancestors and Algorithms, the definitive guide to revolutionizing your family tree research with AI.

Forget the hype and confusion. This isn't just another podcast about AI; this is your hands-on, step-by-step masterclass using AI. Each week, host and researcher Brian demystifies the technology and shows you exactly how to apply AI tools to find ancestors, analyze records, and solve your toughest genealogy puzzles.

We explore the incredible promise of AI while navigating its perils with an honest, practical approach. Learn to use AI as your personal research assistant—not a replacement for your own critical thinking.

Join us to learn how to:

  • Break through brick walls using AI-driven analysis and data correlation.
  • Transcribe old, hard-to-read documents, letters, and census records in minutes.
  • Use ChatGPT, Gemini, and other Generative AI to draft biographies, summarize findings, and organize your research.
  • Analyze DNA matches and historical records to uncover hidden family connections.
  • Master prompts that get you accurate results and avoid AI "hallucinations."
  • Discover the latest AI tech and digital tools for genealogists before anyone else.

Whether you're a beginner genealogist or a seasoned family historian, if you're ready to upgrade your research skills, this podcast is for you. Hit Follow now and turn AI into your ultimate secret weapon for uncovering your ancestry.


Episode Date
Ep. 40: Seven Heirs - How AI Decodes a Tennessee Probate Mystery
Jun 02, 2026
Ep. 39: Norwegian Genealogy - AI Solves the Patronymic Mystery
May 26, 2026
Ep. 38: The Research Map - How AI Finds the Records You're Missing
May 19, 2026
Ep. 37: What Grandma Never Said - Using AI to Uncover Hidden Ancestors in Census Records
May 12, 2026
Ep. 36: The Highland Line - Tracing Scottish Ancestors with AI
May 05, 2026
Ep. 35: How AI Resolves Conflicting Evidence for Immigrant Ancestors
Apr 28, 2026
Ep. 34: How to Use Claude, Perplexity, ChatGPT & Gemini to Find a California Gold Rush Ancestor
Apr 21, 2026
Ep. 33: FAN Club Method + AI - Find Ancestors Through Their Neighbors
Apr 14, 2026
Ep. 32: Tracing Irish Ancestors With AI
Apr 07, 2026
Ep. 31: The Homestead Claim That Vanished | AI-Assisted Homestead and Land Record Research
Mar 31, 2026
Ep. 30: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude & NotebookLM Meet the Genealogical Proof Standard
Mar 24, 2026
Ep. 29: How to Find Ancestors in Historical Newspapers Using AI
Mar 17, 2026
Ep. 28: Italian Ancestor Name Changes | Connected an Ellis Island Immigrant to His Naples Birth Record
Mar 03, 2026
Ep. 27: AI Tools for African American Genealogy and the 1870 Brick Wall
Feb 24, 2026
Ep. 26: Genealogy + DNA | How to Use Artificial Intelligence Safely for DNA Research
Feb 17, 2026
Ep. 25:: Tracking Australian Ancestors Using AI | International Genealogy Research
Feb 10, 2026
Ep. 24: How to Use Google NotebookLM for Family History Research | Free AI Tool Tutorial
Feb 03, 2026
Ep. 23: Writing Ancestor Biographies with AI | Free ChatGPT Tutorial
Jan 27, 2026
Ep. 22: Solving Multiple Same-Name Ancestors in English Parish Records Using AI | UK Genealogy
Jan 20, 2026
Ep. 21: How AI Uncovered a Civil War Soldier's PTSD | Free Transcription & Research Tools for Military Genealogy
Jan 06, 2026
Ep. 20: How to Transcribe Handwritten Genealogy Documents with Free AI | Gemini 3 Tutorial
Dec 30, 2025
Ep. 19: AI Signature Analysis Uncovers Identity Theft - Polish Immigrant Mystery Case Study
Dec 16, 2025
Ep. 18: Civil War Widow Denied | AI Uncovers Heartbreaking Pension Files
Dec 09, 2025
Ep. 17: FamilySearch Full-Text Search | Find Ancestors in 30 Seconds Using AI (2+ Billion Records Unlocked!)
Dec 02, 2025
Ep. 16: FAN Club Method | How to Extract Census Records with AI & Find Missing Relatives
Nov 18, 2025
Ep. 15: Tracing Your Immigrant Ancestor with AI | Death Certificate to German Church Records
Nov 11, 2025
Ep. 14: How to Use AI for DNA Genealogy | Analyze Genetic Matches & Break Through Brick Walls Safely
Nov 04, 2025
Ep. 13: AI Hallucinations in Genealogy | How to Prevent False Family History & Control ChatGPT, Claude & Perplexity Errors
Oct 28, 2025
Ep. 12: Perplexity AI Complete Guide for Genealogy | Master Every Feature to Break Through Brick Walls in Family History Research
Oct 21, 2025
Ep. 11: Claude AI for Genealogy | Complete Guide to Research Plans, Artifacts & Writing Ancestor Stories
Oct 14, 2025
Ep. 10: ChatGPT for Genealogy | Complete AI Family History Research Guide 2025 | Projects, Canvas, Pulse & Deep Research for Ancestor Discovery
Oct 07, 2025
Ep. 9: Transkribus Complete Guide | From Squiggles to Stories
Sep 30, 2025
Ep. 8: How to Spot Hidden Family Tree Patterns That Solve Brick Walls
Sep 23, 2025
Ep. 7: When AI Gets Your Family History Wrong
Sep 16, 2025
Perplexity AI Setup Tutorial: How to Get Real Citations for Your Genealogy Research
Sep 14, 2025
Setting Up Google Gemini: The Complete Tutorial for AI + Google Integration (Perfect for Genealogists)
Sep 13, 2025
How to Set Up Claude AI in 10 Minutes: From Account Creation to Your First Conversation (Complete Beginner Guide
Sep 12, 2025
From Zero to AI Hero: The Complete ChatGPT Setup Guide for Intimidated Genealogists (No Tech Skills Required!)
Sep 11, 2025
Ep. 6: Boring Ancestor Into the Family Legend
Sep 09, 2025
Ep. 5: Teaching AI to Read Great-Aunt Mildred's Cursive
Sep 02, 2025
Ep. 4: AI Photo Magic That Made My Mom Cry
Aug 26, 2025
Ep. 3: Using ChatGPT & Claude for Family History Research Breakthroughs
Aug 19, 2025
Ep. 2: Complete Guide to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini & Perplexity for Family History Research
Aug 19, 2025
Ep. 1: Complete Beginner's Guide to ChatGPT, Machine Learning & Family History Research Tools
Aug 19, 2025
COMING SOON: Your New AI Research Assistant (Official Trailer)
Aug 04, 2025