Bryna O'Sullivan

These tools can be a good support, but they're not a substitute for humans. To present them as such does people using them a disservice. I would challenge genealogists using them to pay attention to what they can and cannot do. #genealogy #AI

2) Historical context doesn't just mean "I looked at a dozen reference books and told you what they said." That's not how #history works as a field. Instead, building historical context requires building an analysis based on what's known and unknown.

1) Machine translation is not 100% reliable. In many fields, "close enough" #translation is considered acceptable. In #genealogy, "close enough" can mean the wrong death date. Are we okay with that as researchers?

Introducing Scribe AI: Transcribe, Interpret, and Receive Fascinating Insights About Your Family’s Historical Documents and Photos, and MyHeritage Records - MyHeritage Blog We’re excited to introduce Scribe AI, a powerful new feature on MyHeritage that transcribes, translates, and interprets historical family documents and

The launch of a new #AI tool from MyHeritage (blog.myheritage.com/2026/03/intr...) has me cringing. (I will give them credit for saying "caution is advised.") Why?
#genealogy

HTR and OCR are similar mechanically, but with the fact that HTR needs to account for a multitude more variables, the risk of error is much higher. And HTR being used directly for machine translation should not be happening...

It's essentially taking pieces of prior translations used in its training. Machine translation functions like this generally, but we were often not using machine translation in genealogy because of the handwriting. That's changed.

I've been explaining it as pattern recognition. Which can become problematic in translation because the LLM will translate the expected pattern, sometimes instead of the actual document. It looks good so, it will often get used as the basis for further research. That can prove problematic later.

I wish we could break the pattern of thinking it's okay not to expect genealogists to learn and/or teach genealogists about other fields. I suspect it's a large part of the problem. If you don't understand methodology, it's easier to accept the outputs.

In terms of #genealogy, I narrowed the question in large part because professionals seem to be discouraging the use of #AI for the use of research. But that is not happening for #translation. And, honestly, that means that some clients are research reports created based on wrong translation...

Okay, at some point is #genealogy going to have a conversation about the ethics of #AI #translation?

It's being used by genealogists, including professionals. There are implications. Discussions need to happen.

My family's surprise goldmine were US passport applications, as they required the listing of the father's place of birth if a woman was unmarried.

Does your genealogist have lineage society experience? Why does it matter? When you’re choosing to hire a professional genealogist, it can be hard to tell who to ask. Do you choose the person with a regional specialty? An experienced lineage society specialist? In b…

charteroakgenealogy.com/2026/03/01/d... #genealogy #ancestry #professionalgenealogy #familyhistory

How accurate was it? : Some major errors risk destroying your research if you rely on it going forward. 1) Marguerite's surname is Bigue, not Richard. 2) the death date was the thirty-first of the preceding month. (3: less important: most of the witness information is transcribed wrong.)

veuf de Marguerite Ricard de la paroisse de
St. Anne décédé le premier du mois précé-
-dent, âgé de quatre-vingt six ans, en pré-
-sence de soussignés Louis Lafleche & Honoré
Dion qui n’ont sçu signer, dont lecture faite.
[Signé] Louis Lafleche
[Signé] Honoré Dion + sa marque
[Signé] M. Chauvin Ptre

[Main Body]
L’an mil huit cent quarante, le trois
septembre, Nous soussigné Curé de St. Anne
avons inhumé dans le Cimetière de cette
paroisse le corps de Modeste Richer Lafleche

Transcription: Sépulture de Modeste Richer Lafleche
[Left Margin]
Sép: 3e
Modeste
Richer
Lafleche

Below is the diplomatic transcription, preserving the original spelling, punctuation, and line breaks as written by the priest, M. Chauvin.

Response:
This record for Modeste Richer Lafleche is found on the left-hand page of the register from the parish of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, dated September 1840.

Prompt: Please transcribe using diplomatic translation the burial of Modeste Richer LaFleche.

Genealogists interested in #AI have touted the transcription ability of Google Gemini's paid edition. So how well does it actually work? #genealogy #translation #French #familyhistory

Looking for help understanding legal terms? This glossary covers some of the more unusual terms. #genealogy #ancestry #French #translation

ATA’s Mastermind Program offers mentoring designed to help you learn and develop professionally. Apply for the Mastermind Program at https://bit.ly/479t9RB! The deadline to apply is February 28--Don't go it alone!
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#Career #Mentoring #Translator #Interpreter #xl8 #1nt #atanet

📢 ATA is excited to accept session proposals for ATA’s 67th Annual Conference, October 28-31, 2026, in San Francisco, California! Submit your proposal today at https://bit.ly/4kmhhBr! 🌁
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#Career #Growth #Translator #Interpreter #Experience #LanguageServices #PublicSpeaking #xl8 #1nt #atanet

Graphic for the Association of Professional Genealogists with the APG logo and “Expert Insights.” A magnifying glass highlights the word “professional” in a dictionary. Promotes “How/When to Hire a Pro” with Michelle Dwyer Cohen, Friday at 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM, live at RootsTech booth 1135.

Stuck on a research problem? Learn how and when to hire a professional genealogist with Michelle Dwyer Cohen on Friday 6 March at 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM at the APG RootsTech booth #1135. #RootsTech2026 #APG

Stuck on a Connecticut research problem? Here are five places you can go for help. FamilySearch: The FamilySearch Wiki hosts how to information on Connecticut genealogy. Connecticut State Library: Genealogists love the Connecticut State Library and for good reason! From resources…

#genealogy #ancestry #familyhistory #Connecticut

I would love to see a #genealogy #translator who isn't me apply to teach on #translation in genealogy. There's a need for new voices! www.apgen.org/2026_pmc_cal...

I have ancestors who settled in colonial America. What lineage societies can I join? A lineage society – also called a hereditary society – determines its membership by descent from an ancestor who participated in certain activities. Typically, societies are only open t…

#genealogy #lineagesocieties #ancestry #familyhistory

I wish more genealogists understood the principle of reproduction rights...

I'm more protective of mine, but many of the ones I'm handling are from the family studio, and we've had past issues with organizations trying to claim rights they don't own.

5 Websites to Try for Researching Connecticut Genealogy When you’re getting started researching ancestors living in a new area, it can be easy to stick to familiar websites and databases. That may serve you well in some cases. In others, it may re…

It can be easy to stick to the familiar websites... but new ones may provide new resources. Here are five websites to try. #genealogy #familyhistory #Connecticut