The Family History AI Show

EP28: AI-Based Transcriptions Transform Genealogy, FamilySearch Interview with David Ouimette, Grok 4's Anticipated Release, Apple Changes Its AI Strategy
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 Genealogy
25:33 Building AI Apps with Claude
Interview:
29:34 David Ouimette on FamilySearch's AI Journey
RapidFire:
49:27 Grok 4 Release Announcement
51:35 Apple Pivots to Third-Party AI Integration
56:02 Google Photos Adds Natural Language Search
Expanded Access to Full-Text Search
https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/full-text-search-experimental-ai
Ancestry announces the Beta launch of its new document transcription feature
https://www.ancestry.com/c/ancestry-blog/ancestry-news/document-transcription-feature
Snagit Screen Capture
https://www.techsmith.com/snagit
Windows Snipping Tool
Screenshots or screen recordings on Mac
https://support.apple.com/en-hk/guide/mac-help/mh26782/mac
Dan Maloney's AI Handwritten Text Recognition Tool
https://www.genea.ca/htr-tool/
Anthropic: Build and share AI-powered apps with Claude
https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-powered-artifacts
Anthropic now lets you make apps right from its Claude AI chatbot
https://www.theverge.com/news/693342/anthropic-claude-ai-apps-artifact
Grok 4 release livestream on Wednesday at 8pm PT
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1942325820170907915
Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok launches into antisemitic rant amid updates
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/07/08/elon-musk-grok-ai-antisemitism/
Apple's Original AI announcement on June 10, 2024
https://www.apple.com/ca/newsroom/2024/06/introducing-apple-intelligence-for-iphone-ipad-and-mac/
Apple's Integrates ChatGPT into iPhones
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/iphone/iph00fd3c8c2/ios
Apple Weighs Using Anthropic or OpenAI to Power Siri in Major Reversal
Google Resumes Rollout of AI-Based 'Ask Photos' Image Search
https://petapixel.com/2025/06/27/google-resumes-rollout-of-ai-based-ask-photos-image-search/
Google Product Manager says Ask Photos paused for quality issues
https://x.com/jamieasp/status/1929895255844745284
Ask Photos coming to more Google Photos users
https://blog.google/products/photos/updates-ask-photos-search/
Ask Photos' Original Announcement May 14, 2024
https://petapixel.com/2024/05/14/gemini-powered-ask-photos-brings-an-ai-assistant-to-google-photos/
Artificial 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