How to Research Your Family Tree With AI

AI can assist genealogy by transcribing handwriting, extracting names or dates, summarizing a document, and suggesting next sources to search. Historical records often contain unfamiliar handwriting, faded ink, abbreviations, damaged pages, and changing place names. OCR or a language model can misread a letter, invent a plausible name, or place a person in the wrong family. The National Archives says its machine-generated OCR text is not always accurate and provides a process for users to correct or validate it. Its transcription guidance advises checking the original image and marking unreadable text instead of guessing. Always compare a transcription with the image and cite the original record, repository, collection, and page or item identifier. Treat indexes, family trees, and AI summaries as finding aids rather than primary proof. A common name or approximate birth year is not enough to merge two people; look for multiple independent details such as location, relatives, and dated events. Distinguish direct evidence from inference, and record uncertainty instead of filling gaps with a likely story. Family histories may include sensitive information about living people, adoption, parentage, health, or migration. Ask permission before sharing identifiable details and review privacy settings of genealogy platforms. AI can help plan research but cannot establish a relationship without evidence. If a record conflicts with a family story, preserve both sources and note the difference. Genealogy is a source-based investigation, not a puzzle AI can solve by narrative plausibility alone.