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by Lynn Zacny Busby (Author)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been integrated into our lives for over a decade, often under the guise of an "assistant." These assistants subtly enhance our experiences by making automated suggestions tailored to our interests. For instance, Netflix recommends movies you might enjoy, Alexa provides the current temperature, Facebook displays ads based on your recent inquiries, Google answers your voice queries without requiring typing, and Ancestry.com offers hints about your family tree.
Recently, AI has become more prominent and accessible. Now, anyone with a computer can directly ask AI to generate text, receiving responses almost instantly. These responses are not only quick but also spell-checked, grammatically correct, and punctuated properly.
However, it's important to note that while AI always provides a response, it is not always factual. AI generates answers that may sound logical but can lack a basis in reality, a phenomenon known as "hallucination." Given this tendency, can AI still be beneficial to genealogists who prioritize accuracy and the citation of original documents?
Despite its occasional inaccuracies, AI can be a valuable tool for genealogists. It can assist in organizing research, suggesting potential sources, and providing contextual information that might lead to further discoveries. The key is to use AI as a supplementary tool, verifying its suggestions with primary sources and documented evidence. This approach ensures that AI enhances genealogical research without compromising its integrity.
