Best Free Genealogy Education Podcasts (2025)

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High Ancestry Episode 1: Astrology and Ancestors 38:57

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22d ago38:57

38:57

Low Ancestry is getting a Patreon! Every month, we will be putting out one episode for subscribers of a new series we're calling High Ancestry where Kim takes the reins. In our very first episode of High Ancestry, Kim talks to us about the history and psychology of astrology, and then we do the critical work of comparing ancestors we've talked abou…

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Joseph Gillette: Fourth-Great-Grandfather 57:36

1M ago57:36

57:36

In this very tough episode, we dive into Kim's very southern family by looking at the life of her fourth-great-grandfather and Confederate officer, Joseph Ezra Gillette, and we get real about what it means to have family that benefitted from enslaving others and why it's so important to talk about. Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and…

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Interview with the Host: Karyn Harding 1:11:27

2M ago1:11:27

1:11:27

The interview you all have been clambering for. We switch things up a little as Kim takes the lead and interviews host, Karyn, about her process, life, history, and how it all ties together to right now. We'll be back next episode with another look at Kim's ancestry! Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate…

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John L. O'Donnell: Third-Great-Grandfather 47:20

2M ago47:20

47:20

This episode is about MJURDER! That is, murder. Turns out that Kim's 3rd-great-grandfather, John O'Donnell, was a man who contained multitudes--involved in crime, scandal, and maybe romance? Set in the hills of northwest Virginia, join us as we unravel the 1869 murder of Port Republic. Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and d…

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The Beahm Family (Definitely NOT Jim Beam) 44:42

3M ago44:42

44:42

You ever think you're really good at your newfound hobby and then get humbled real quick. Yeah me either. Just kidding, this episode is all about how I believed that Kim was related to Jim Beam and was a whiskey princess, but it turns out that I was wrong and now there is egg on my face. But Kim doesn't need mediocre whiskey to tell her that she's …

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Season Two is coming (and a personal update) 32:41

3M ago32:41

32:41

It's been a minute, and we've got some exciting updates about Season Two--not the least of which is that it's releasing on March 17. *gasp* It's nice to have something to look forward to! Especially for your charming and genealogy-loving host, Karyn, who has had an especially wild (read: bad) year so far. We get into some personal updates--a passin…

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EP24: DeepSeek AI Shakes The World, FamilySearch Full-Text Turns One, Microsoft and Google Drop AI Prices, Instructional vs. Reasoning Models 54:55

3M ago54:55

54:55

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore how DeepSeek has dramatically changed the AI landscape by releasing a powerful, inexpensive, open-source model that challenges American dominance in AI. They celebrate the first anniversary of FamilySearch's Full-Text Search, which has expanded from three collections to three thousand in just one-year…

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EP23: AI Predictions for 2025: Agents, Local Models, Social Media Chatbots, Writing with AI, Costs Keep Dropping 48:10

4M ago48:10

48:10

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little share their predictions for artificial intelligence developments in 2025, with a special focus on how these changes will affect genealogists and family historians. They explore the emergence of AI agents, the shift to running language models locally on personal devices, and the introduction of chatbots to soc…

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EP22: The Google Empire Strikes Back: Deep Research Challenges Perplexity, NotebookLM's Big Updates, and Facebook Adds AI to Groups 1:00:51

5M ago1:00:51

1:00:51

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore Google's powerful end-of-year releases that challenge other AI platforms. They examine Google's Deep Research tool and its ability to quickly create comprehensive research reports by combining information from multiple sources. Next, they discuss Facebook's controversial introduction of AI assistants …

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EP21: 12 Days of OpenAI Deep Dive, ChatGPT Canvas Easier to Use, Voice & Vision Unite in ChatGPTs mobile apps, Tips for Free AI Tools 53:20

5M ago53:20

53:20

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore OpenAI's "12 Days of OpenAI" campaign, particularly focusing on their new reasoning models and the expanded availability of Canvas across all ChatGPT models. They examine how ChatGPT's new camera view in Advanced Voice Mode transforms mobile research capabilities, demonstrating real-world applications…

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EP20: Top AI Tools Worth Paying For in 2025, AI Tools Not Worth Paying For, 12 Days of OpenAI Begins, Use AI Hallucinations to Your Advantage 1:06:47

5M ago1:06:47

1:06:47

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little reveal their top recommendations for AI tools worth paying for in 2025. They also discuss which AI tools aren't worth paying for in 2025. One of them might surprise you! Next, Mark and Steve begin their review of OpenAI's "12 Days of OpenAI" announcements, beginning with the release of their enhanced O1 reaso…

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My Viking Ancestors? 44:40

5M ago44:40

44:40

Wishful linking is a genealogical crime, and this episode, I become one of the criminals. Join us as we talk about what links me to the Vikings, and then keep joining us as we promptly disprove it. Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts. You can also find u…

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The Kesteloos (feat. Kathleen Larsen) 1:04:45

6M ago1:04:45

1:04:45

We’re doing something a little bit different this episode. We sit down with friend of the podcast, Kathleen Larsen and dive into a story from her family tree. Together, we learn about one man’s gutsy, one-way trip across the ocean, the new life he makes in America, and the legacy his family left behind. Through his story and the story of the people…

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EP19: 2024's Top 5 AI Genealogy Breakthroughs, MyHeritage LiveMemory Goes Viral, The Bluesky Migration 52:16

6M ago52:16

52:16

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore the AI developments that had the biggest impact on genealogy in 2024. This week’s episode spotlights MyHeritage's newest viral tool, LiveMemory, which brings old photos to life through animation. Next, Mark and Steve count down the year's top AI breakthroughs for genealogists. The groundbreaking Famil…

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William Bradford: Twelfth-Great-Grandfather (with Micah Pick) 1:07:47

6M ago1:07:47

1:07:47

It's a special Thanksgiving episode! We dive into the fraught history of our Mayflower ancestors with friend, Micah Pick, who also happens to share a famous Pilgrim ancestor with host, Karyn. Join us as we talk about the life of the Mayflower colonists, and we attempt to pick at the threads of the American mythology that surrounds them. You can fin…

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EP18: Claude Improves AI Writing, ChatGPT Desktop Apps Arrive, OpenAI Joins AI-Enhanced Search Race, Apple Begins AI Rollout, Meta Brings Reuter’s News to Facebook 44:23

6M ago44:23

44:23

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little discuss how Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet upgrade has made Claude an even better AI writer. This make's it even easier to write a great research report. They move on to explore OpenAI's new desktop apps and Advanced Voice Mode, discussing how voice interaction could transform genealogical research, particular…

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Chatting with Michael Ruby from Roots and Routes 50:47

7M ago50:47

50:47

In a very special Bonus Episode, Low Ancestry talks to Roots and Routes genealogist Michael Ruby. Join us for a discussion about the myth of the presidential common genealogy conspiracy, what low ancestry means in our personal family trees, and why J. D. Vance’s comments about his genealogy on the campaign trail do not hold up. Find Michael on YouT…

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EP17: AI Writing Gets Easier with OpenAI’s New Canvas Feature, Chatbots Try to Replace Traditional Software, Privacy Protection and AI, Big NotebookLM Updates 53:35

7M ago53:35

53:35

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little examine OpenAI's new Canvas feature, demonstrating how this split-screen interface revolutionizes document creation and editing for genealogists. Locality guides and research reports are used as practical examples. They explore how AI platforms like Canvas and Perplexity Spaces are challenging traditional sof…

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Edward Hargrave and Andersonville Prison (feat. Haunting History Podcast) 50:27

7M ago50:27

50:27

In this very special Halloween bonus episode, Low Ancestry is thrilled to collaborate with Cat Curtis from Haunting History Podcast! Together, we unravel the gripping story of my third-great-granduncle, Edward Hargrave from his birth in London’s rough Shoreditch neighborhood to his teenage years as a Union soldier in the American Civil War. While a…

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An Update from Low Ancestry 0:48

7M ago0:48

0:48

Season 1 is over, but we've got some exciting stuff on the horizon! Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts. You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com. And you can now join our Patreon! LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS Created, Written and Produced by Kary…

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Carrie and Cora Dewey: Second and Third-Great-Grandmothers 47:16

8M ago47:16

47:16

Carrie White led a life marked by profound tragedy, losing her brother and both parents within a year, followed closely by the death of her infant daughter. When Carrie shows signs of deteriorating mental health and involuntary movements, she disappears from her family and is later found in a Binghamton hotel where she had taken her own life. Her f…

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EP16: Genetic Genealogy Conference Roundup, Open AI Launches Canvas, AI Disclosure, Google Photos Goes AI, Nobel Prizes Focus on AI 59:15

8M ago59:15

59:15

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little recap their experiences at the East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference last week, highlighting Dana Leeds' innovative use of AI for efficiently created charts using the Leeds Method. They then explore OpenAI's new Canvas feature, comparing it to Claude's Artifacts, and discuss its potential for genealogical r…

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Helen and Frank Dewey: Fourth-Great-Grandparents 1:00:50

8M ago1:00:50

1:00:50

In this episode, we dive into the complex lives of an everyday American family during and after the Civil War. Helen and Frank Dewey were a happily married couple who survive the war, have ten beautiful children, and stay together through all of life’s hardships. But when Frank passes away, Helen has to grapple with her late husband’s secretive pas…

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EP15: Talking with Your Chatbot is Now a Reality, FamilySearch Adds Canadian Records to Full-Text Search, & new Responsible AI Use Series Begins 53:07

8M ago53:07

53:07

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little are excited to share OpenAI's Advanced Voice Mode, which enables natural conversations with AI, and how FamilySearch's expanded full-text Search is revolutionizing records accessibility. They stress responsible AI use throughout this week's episode, introducing a new series on verifying the accuracy of AI-gen…

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EP14: Special Episode on ChatGPT's upgrade to o1-Preview, learn how to (almost) get o1-Preview for free. 39:34

8M ago39:34

39:34

In this special edition of the Family History AI Show, co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little do a deep dive into OpenAI's latest release, code-named "Project Strawberry." They explain the new ChatGPT-o1 models, discuss their reasoning capabilities and most importantly, their potential impacts on genealogical research. They also offer practical ad…

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EP13: Gemini (finally!) Supports File Uploads, AI’s Impact on Learning, Gemini Adds Saved Prompts, Build Better Prompts With Examples 54:47

9M ago54:47

54:47

In this episode of the Family History AI Show, Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore the latest AI news, views and reviews for family historians. They start with Google Gemini's new file upload capabilities and examine AI's impact on genealogy education, offering practical advice for researchers. Then, they discuss the increasing availability of s…

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[BITE SIZE] Pierre Chastain: Tenth-Great-Grandfather 30:56

9M ago30:56

30:56

Through the incredible journey of my tenth-great-grandfather, Pierre Chastain, we uncover the harrowing plight of the Huguenots as they fled relentless persecution in 17th-century France. Forced to navigate a hostile Europe in search of safety, their story takes us through waves of hardship until they finally find refuge in Virginia. As we dive dee…

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EP12: Hollywood AI Blunder, AI Image Generator Roundup, Google Lens Saves You Time Researching, Use AI For Translation 57:09

9M ago57:09

57:09

Hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little expertly navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape, offering practical insights on leveraging AI for your family history research. Mark and Steve open this episode by discussing lessons that genealogists can learn from Hollywood on the importance of fact-checking. Next, they provide a comprehensive roundup of t…

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The Kilmers: Fourth Cousins 4x Removed [Part Two] 43:00

9M ago43:00

43:00

Part two of our journey through the lives of the Kilmer family– Binghamton’s medical tycoons at the turn of the 20th century–shows us a powerful family in scandalous turmoil in the aftermath of a devastating factory fire. The Kilmers find themselves navigating a public family feud, arson accusations, lawsuits, and a bitter rivalry between newspaper…

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EP 11: Microsoft Simplifies Research with “Deep Search”, Google Goes All In on AI, Have We Entered the Post-Photography Era? 58:30

9M ago58:30

58:30

In this episode, hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little discuss Microsoft's new AI-enhanced search tool, Deep Search. Then, they review Google's major list of AI announcements. In the last big story this week, Mark and Steve talk about how photography has changed in the digital age. Don’t miss this week’s Tip of the Week, where Mark and Steve provide…

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Confirmation Bias, Ethel McKinney, Harley Bowers, and Solon Selleck 37:18

10M ago37:18

37:18

First off, welcome back - to us all! Glad to be recording again. This season will be all about confirmation bias and the many ways it can get in the way of writing accurate life stories. My focus has been on FamilySearch in the past few years, so we'll be talking about writing those Brief Life Histories there. This episode is about a specific searc…

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The Kilmers: Fourth Cousins 4x Removed [Part One] 41:51

10M ago41:51

41:51

This episode, we journey through the origins of the Kilmer family legacy in Binghamton, New York, starting with the intriguing story of Dr. S. Andral Kilmer and his infamous, homeopathic remedy, Swamp Root, which took the 19th-century patent medicine industry by storm. However, behind the rise to household medicine fame lies a tale of family drama,…

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EP10: Ancestry’s New AI Tools, Google Gemini Leaps Ahead, Master AI Extraction, and Google’s Olympic Ad Controversy 48:08

10M ago48:08

48:08

Join co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little to explore the latest developments in AI and Family History. This week, they discuss Ancestry's innovative new tool for summarizing key US records. They also review Ancestry’s new AI chatbot that greatly simplifies finding the best support documents. Next, they gawk at Google's impressive Gemini 1.5 Pro …

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EP9: Building Better Prompts, Facebook’s LLM May Benefit Family History, MyHeritage Retires an AI Feature 50:21

10M ago50:21

50:21

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore the potential benefits of Meta's open-source approach to AI. Next, they discuss MyHeritage's plans to retire an AI feature. Then, they review the AI image generation features recently added to Adobe Illustrator. In this week’s Tip of the Week, they share valuable insights on crafting effective, halluc…

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[BITE SIZE] Angeline: Third-Great-Grandmother 36:30

10M ago36:30

36:30

In this episode, we dive into the enigmatic life of Angeline, my third-great-grandmother. Angeline's story, largely overshadowed by the men around her, begins in 1863 when her young husband, Elisha, leaves to fight in the Civil War. Left behind with their unborn child, Angeline's life unfolds in the margins of historical records, filled with gaps a…

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EP8: Save Time by Summarizing, Meta's Game-Changing AI Upgrade, FamilySearch's Summarization Feature, Is the AI Bubble About to Burst? 48:26

10M ago48:26

48:26

In this week’s episode, hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little explore Meta AI 3.1's huge large language model upgrade, as well as FamilySearch's innovative, AI-based summarization feature. They then address growing concerns about AI hype. In this week’s Tip of the Week, they share their approach for mastering the fine art of summarization, a crucial…

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EP7: Perplexity Upgrade, AI Ethical Issues, Building Better Prompts, Siri Upgrade Delayed 38:53

10M ago38:53

38:53

In this episode, hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little dive into Perplexity's big upgrade, enhancing research capabilities for family historians. They tackle pressing ethical concerns in AI, exploring copyright issues and training data controversies that impact genealogists. The show introduces a new series on building better prompts, offering pract…

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Bartley Corbin: Fifth-Great-Grandfather 46:48

11M ago46:48

46:48

In this episode, we dive into the challenging history of Bartley Corbin, whose story is deeply entwined with the darker chapters of America’s history of racism, genocide, and slavery. We’ll grapple with the harsh realities of American expansion and the removal of indigenous people and discuss the role that genealogy can play in confronting uncomfor…

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EP6: Claude Projects vs Custom GPTs, Student FAQs, The Importance of Chatting with your Chatbot 41:12

11M ago41:12

41:12

In this episode of The Family History AI Show, hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little discuss the latest advancements in AI tools for genealogists. Discover how Anthropic’s new Claude Projects feature stacks up against OpenAI’s custom GPTs, and learn about essential reusable prompts for genealogical research. We also highlight key insights from the G…

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Auguste and Josephine Dhyne: Third-Great-Grandparents 55:40

11M ago55:40

55:40

In this episode, we delve into the riveting journey of the Dhyne family from Belgium to America. As the story unfolds, we explore not just a coming-to-America tale but also a tale of complicated family dynamics and the challenges they faced. Along the way, we will reveal some surprising twists and turns throughout their lives and find out how easy …

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EP5: Claude Sonnet 3.5 is the Best AI update in Months, The AI Industry Reacts to Apple Intelligence, AI Highlights from GRIP Genealogy Institute. 24:17

11M ago24:17

24:17

Hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little discuss Steve's recent AI course for genealogists at GRIP and the rapid pace of learning and practical applications for genealogy. They examine the industry-wide effects of Apple's focus on AI privacy and security, including at OpenAI. The launch of Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet is a major advancement, offering …

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EP4: Toronto AI Conference, MyHeritage Interview, Apple Intelligence, Perplexity and Microsoft have a bad day. 53:55

11M ago53:55

53:55

Show Description: In this episode of the Family History AI Show, hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little discuss recent developments in AI for genealogy. They recap the groundbreaking AI Day at the Ontario Genealogical Society conference, highlighting the engaging presentations made throughout the conference. An exclusive interview with Daniel Horowit…

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[BITE SIZE] John Connis: Third-Great-Grandfather 29:12

11M ago29:12

29:12

This episode we delve into the challenges and uncertainties of the childhood of John Connis (my 3rd-great-grandfather). After being admitted to a 19th century New York City orphanage, John’s life becomes a story about resilience and new beginnings, and through John, we see how love passes down from generation to generation. The bibliography and add…

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EP3: Apple joins the AI Race with Apple Intelligence. ChatGPT improves data analysis for genealogists. Give the gift of trust to future genealogists. 53:04

12M ago53:04

53:04

In this episode of the Family History AI Show, co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little discuss the exciting developments in AI announced at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) last week. In particular, Apple's promise of a more secure, private approach to AI. Apple's approach to AI is compared with Microsoft's Recall feature and Google's …

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Ernest Harding: Second-Great-Granduncle 49:15

12M ago49:15

49:15

The life of Ernest Harding (my 2nd-great-granduncle) is marked by poverty and hardship, unfolding against the backdrop of the late 19th and early 20th century. From his challenging upbringing to his numerous brushes with the law, we explore Ernest’s complex family dynamics and his social stigmatization while navigating the New York State justice sy…

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Willem Hoffmeyer: Ninth-Great-Grandfather 55:39

12M ago55:39

55:39

Willem Hoffmeyer (my 9th-great-grandfather) and his family are the portrait of colonial life in the 17th century. From their unconventional start in Brazil to their role in the shaping of modern-day New York, we delve into the tumultuous relationships and legal drama that defined Willem’s family and explore how messy families become respectable wit…

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EP2: AI outages, Ethical Debates in Genealogy, Google's awful week. Perplexity's “Pages” simplifies research 41:07

12M ago41:07

41:07

“These tools are so useful […] that even if there are prohibitions against their use, […] there's an incredible temptation to use them surreptitiously.” - Steve Little Join Mark Thompson and Steve Little as they discuss the AI stories affecting the family history community. AI outages, ethical debates, and cutting-edge tools were all big news this …

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EP1: AI in Genealogy: ChatGPT 4o, Google Gemini, and New Tools from FamilySearch 45:18

1y ago45:18

45:18

Welcome to the first episode of The Family History AI Show! This week, Mark and Steve dive into the latest developments in AI and how they are transforming the world of genealogy. From the new tools announced recently by OpenAI and Google to big stories from the National Genealogical Society conference, this episode is packed with insights and tips…

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Introducing Low Ancestry 0:56

1y ago0:56

0:56

Join us on June 11th for the premiere of Low Ancestry. Subscribe now and never miss an episode. Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts. You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com. And you can now join our Patreon! LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS Created, …

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The Family Cookbook: Deep Fried Biscuits and Homemade Apple Butter 13:04

3y ago13:04

13:04

Today's episode is a Family Cookbook episode that I've wanted to make for quite a while. It features two of my favorite foods from the area where I went to college (and where MANY of my ancestors lived for over a century) - Deep Fried Biscuits and Homemade Apple Butter, from Indiana. See the shownotes for the recipes. The part of the apple butter r…