AI & Your Family Tree: How to Use ChatGPT in Your Genealogy - June 2026
Search Smarter, Not Harder: Transform Your Genealogy with ChatGPT
Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way genealogists conduct research, interpret documents, and write up findings. In this hands-on immersive course, genealogist Robert Cameron Weir will demonstrate how you can use ChatGPT to boost your productivity, solve complex problems, and get more from your research time.
Designed for genealogists of all levels, this deep dive goes well beyond basic prompting. You’ll learn how to use advanced features like deep reasoning, file and image analysis, and multi-step reasoning. A one-week discussion board will provide a space to practice and ask follow-up questions after the live sessions.
Instructor:
Robert Cameron Weir is a genealogical researcher, author, and lecturer living in Dover, N.H. who specializes in hard problems related to New England genealogy. He has a certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University’s Center for Professional Education and is a member of the Association for Professional Genealogists. Rob is also a board member of the New Hampshire Society of Genealogists where he chairs their publication committee.
In this course, you'll learn:
- How ChatGPT actually works behind the scenes
- How to design and refine prompts for genealogical tasks
- How to upload and work with files (images, PDFs, spreadsheets) inside ChatGPT
- How to analyze images and extract information from scanned records
- How to use Chain of Thought and Deep Research for hard problems
- When to consider using other AI tools like Perplexity, NotebookLM, and Transkribus
Students will leave with a practical understanding of the broad range of ways they can use ChatGPT as part of an ongoing genealogical research project.
This Immersive helps solve real-world genealogical challenges such as:
- Understanding foreign-language documents
- Crafting source citations
- Explaining historical cultural and legal practices
- Finding publications and archives relevant to your research
- Navigating incomplete or conflicting sources
How You’ll Benefit:
- Save Time: Learn efficient search strategies to locate your family faster.
- Breakthrough Barriers: Uncover valuable information to keep your research moving forward.
- Maximize Research Potential: Confidently navigate the key records and local archives to pinpoint essential records.
- Achieve Your 2026 Research Goals: Analyze existing records more effectively and forge a clear path forward in your genealogy journey.
- Interactive Q&A: Get your questions answered during the session and through our exclusive online forum for one week. You'll have access to the instructor for one week after the live session via a dedicated discussion board, ensuring all your questions are answered and you receive personalized guidance as you apply what you've learned.
Can’t attend live? No worries! All registered students receive access to the session recording for a full year, so you can revisit the material whenever it’s convenient for you.
Search Smarter, Not Harder: Transform Your Genealogy with ChatGPT
Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way genealogists conduct research, interpret documents, and write up findings. In this hands-on immersive course, genealogist Robert Cameron Weir will demonstrate how you can use ChatGPT to boost your productivity, solve complex problems, and get more from your research time.
Designed for genealogists of all levels, this deep dive goes well beyond basic prompting. You’ll learn how to use advanced features like deep reasoning, file and image analysis, and multi-step reasoning. A one-week discussion board will provide a space to practice and ask follow-up questions after the live sessions.
Instructor:
Robert Cameron Weir is a genealogical researcher, author, and lecturer living in Dover, N.H. who specializes in hard problems related to New England genealogy. He has a certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University’s Center for Professional Education and is a member of the Association for Professional Genealogists. Rob is also a board member of the New Hampshire Society of Genealogists where he chairs their publication committee.
In this course, you'll learn:
- How ChatGPT actually works behind the scenes
- How to design and refine prompts for genealogical tasks
- How to upload and work with files (images, PDFs, spreadsheets) inside ChatGPT
- How to analyze images and extract information from scanned records
- How to use Chain of Thought and Deep Research for hard problems
- When to consider using other AI tools like Perplexity, NotebookLM, and Transkribus
Students will leave with a practical understanding of the broad range of ways they can use ChatGPT as part of an ongoing genealogical research project.
This Immersive helps solve real-world genealogical challenges such as:
- Understanding foreign-language documents
- Crafting source citations
- Explaining historical cultural and legal practices
- Finding publications and archives relevant to your research
- Navigating incomplete or conflicting sources
How You’ll Benefit:
- Save Time: Learn efficient search strategies to locate your family faster.
- Breakthrough Barriers: Uncover valuable information to keep your research moving forward.
- Maximize Research Potential: Confidently navigate the key records and local archives to pinpoint essential records.
- Achieve Your 2026 Research Goals: Analyze existing records more effectively and forge a clear path forward in your genealogy journey.
- Interactive Q&A: Get your questions answered during the session and through our exclusive online forum for one week. You'll have access to the instructor for one week after the live session via a dedicated discussion board, ensuring all your questions are answered and you receive personalized guidance as you apply what you've learned.
Can’t attend live? No worries! All registered students receive access to the session recording for a full year, so you can revisit the material whenever it’s convenient for you.