James Tanner – The Family History Guide Blog

March 9, 2025

Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Genealogy at RootsTech 2025

Note: This article was published previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. See CRAIGEN.org The Coalition for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Genealogy will have a panel discussion at RootsTech 2025. The presentation will take place Friday in Ballroom B at Salt Palace and will also be live-streamed at 4:30 p.m. MT. There is a link for submitting...

artificial intelligence/RootsTech Comments: 0

February 3, 2025

FamilySearch 2024 Year in Review

Note: This article appeared previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. FamilySearch 2024 Year in Review FamilySearch.org I realize we are getting well into 2025, but I am always fascinated by what happened in the past year. FamilySearch.org had a banner year and from my standpoint, more than I can quickly learn about is coming in 2025. I do, however,...

FamilySearch

November 30, 2024

How to Analyze Genealogical Sources: Part Six

Editor’s Note: This article by was previously published in the Genealogy’s Star blog site . After you have reviewed a few thousand documents, you will work out your own method for analyzing the document or record and the information contained in the document or record. But meanwhile, it is a good idea to think about the process and make sure...

U.S. Research

October 27, 2024

Some Common Steps to Online Security

Note: This article was published previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. Security is one of the major concerns of the day. You can regularly read about huge websites and databases being hacked and the information stored compromised. Security on your computer or your smartphone should be as automatic as locking your door at night (or during the day...

Technology

July 28, 2024

Take a Look at FamilySearch Labs

Note: This article appeared previously in the Genealogy’s Star blog site. https://www.familysearch.org/en/labs/The current experiments in FamilySearch Labs include: Merge Analysis View: Understand the nuances of a merge from a tree person’s change log. Expand your search with Full Text: Unlock hidden discoveries in historical records that have never been searchable until now. Family Group Trees: Gather your family into...

artificial intelligence/FamilySearch/Research

June 9, 2024

The Accuracy of Inherited Genealogy

Note: This article appeared previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. Many genealogists “inherited” their interest in genealogy from a relative: parent, a grandparent, or some other relation. I became interested in genealogy in a different way, but I still inherited a lot of documents and information from two great-grandmothers. One of my great-grandmother published an almost 700 page...

FamilySearch/Records/Research

June 2, 2024

Introducing the Family Tree Validator

Note: This article was published previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. Finally, a way to quickly identify and correct entries on the FamilySearch Family Family Tree — https://findmyroots.tech/products/ I learned about this app at RootsTech 2024, a couple of months ago. I am sorry I have not written about it sooner but after talking to the developer, I...

FamilySearch

March 31, 2024

Google Search or AI Chatbot: That Is the Question

Note: This article appeared previously in the Genealogy’s Star blog site. I hope I don’t have to tell you this image is an AI generated image.I just read an article from The Verge entitled “Here’s why AI search engines really can’t kill Google.” It started me thinking about the thousands of searches I had done in the past few...

artificial intelligence

March 10, 2024

Introducing the FamilySearch Profile Quality Score

Note: This article was published previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. RootsTech 2024 was the forum for announcing a valuable feature that helps with the FamilySearch.org Family Tree accuracy. FamilySearch announced the Profile Quality Score which is featured in the FamilySearch.org/Labs website. When this feature is activated by turning it on, it appears on Profile Page of entries in the Family Tree...

FamilySearch/Records/Research

February 4, 2024

Check out the full list of RootsTech sessions both live and online

Note: This article appeared previously in the Genealogy’s Star blog site. Yes, the schedule of classes including rooms and times for the live classes is online on the RootsTech 2024 website. The schedule is divided into the In-person schedule and the Online Schedule. There are 222 speakers scheduled over the three day conference. You can still register for the in-person...

RootsTech

Author: James Tanner