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

Resource LinksExpanded 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 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-snipping-tool-to-capture-screenshots-00246869-1843-655f-f220-97299b865f6b

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 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-30/apple-weighs-replacing-siri-s-ai-llms-with-anthropic-claude-or-openai-chatgpt

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/

TagsArtificial 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