Two AIs for Genealogy?

April is a perfect time to spring into something new! As flowers bloom, you can grow your knowledge and experience in ways that may help your genealogy. Sometimes, something new can help us with something older, just like new blooms grow from a bulb planted long ago. More specifically, a new tool like artificial intelligence could be a partner in uncovering something older, namely ancestral intelligence.

First, let’s clarify the difference between these two forms of AI. First, ancestral intelligence is commonly referred to as the first AI and is the collection of the knowledge, insights, and experiences of our ancestors which can (and often does) inform the ways that we live our lives and understand the world. Whether we realize it or not, the belief and practices of those in our trees likely influence our current thoughts and feelings. In genealogy, we often find this through our research or in surprising ways.

Speaking of research, the second AI, also known as artificial intelligence, has taken the genealogy world by storm, and everywhere you turn, there are articles, books, webinars, etc. touting the power of this AI to transform your family history research. The January/February 2026 issue of Family Tree Magazine even features a lot of information about AI for genealogy. There are many different options available, from Google Gemini to Microsoft Copilot, not to mention lesser-known ones like Perplexity and Transkribus. Some are free, while others may require a subscription or limit your use. Also, each one has its own strengths and weaknesses, so you may find yourself using multiple ones, depending upon your needs.

Some potential uses include:

• Organizational Help – AI tools can help you organize your thoughts and research plans as well as those documents that you have collected. This includes the ability to sort chronologically, create charts/graphs, and identify connections.
• Pattern Recognition – Continuing with connections, AI is very good at finding connections and patterns that you may have missed. You can upload various documents and ask it to help you find links and suggest ways for you to further research.
• Photo Restoration – If you have old photos, you may be interested in the ways that AI can enhance and improve those. They may be able to even animate and recolor them. Some tools can even add voices to mimic how your ancestor may have sounded, and if you have a recording, they may be able to build upon that voice to create something realistic.
• Transcription & Translation – You can use various AI tools to transcribe handwritten text that is difficult to read or if you want to save yourself time. You can also use those same tools to translate records from one language to another.

These are just a few ways that you could use artificial intelligence in genealogy; however, AI is just a tool and does not completely replace traditional genealogy methods. These tools simply make your research more efficient, and they free you to focus your efforts on other essential tasks.

Have you tried out some of the artificial intelligence tools that are available? If not, how might some of these potential uses help you tap into your ancestral intelligence? You may be surprised!