By Lillian Williams
ChatGPT is a hugely popular and powerful artificial intelligence (AI) language tool, capable of processing natural language, and responding to queries on a wide range of subjects.
This article explores how ChatGPT might be utilized by family history researchers, including African Americans who face challenges in finding pre-Civil War records of family members. Specifically, the article offers thoughts to ponder, as families engage with these new dialogue and search tools.
ChatGPT Explained
Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT is an AI language model that utilizes machine learning algorithms to examine vast amounts of text data. It’s trained on a range of texts, including books, articles, and websites. It generates responses to text-based prompts. It’s now the fastest-growing consumer app in history. If you’re new to this technology, here’s a simple guide.
ChatGPT and Genealogy Research
For families tracing their ancestral history, could ChatGPT be a valuable research tool? Answer: Among other factors, it depends upon your research question, and the way that you ask the question. Here’s a YouTube video that offers tips for writing ChatGPT questions in a genealogy search. Pay close attention to the prompts (questions and information) that you submit to ChatGPT for responses. Strong, well-written prompts generally offer better results.
The list below offers a general framework for the types of information available through ChatGPT. View it as a starting point, only. After you receive answers, follow-up with additional questions, or utilize answers as leads in an off-line search. Double-check all answers. Repeat: Never utilize answers from an AI tool without scrutinizing the responses, as these AI tools have been known to sometimes generate errors.
Historical Context
A ChatGPT query could provide historical context on a range of topics related to your ancestral roots. The ChatGPT answer, for example, might provide insight into social and economic conditions of that time period. If you’re researching an ancestor who lived in the United States in the mid-1800s, for example, ChatGPT might offer information about the Civil War and its impact on persons of that region. Always ask ChatGPT to cite the source of its information. Then, double check the accuracy of that source, as well as the information offered.
Discovering Information About Enslaved Individuals
One of the most challenging aspects of researching African American genealogy is identifying information about enslaved family members and their enslavers. In my case, the Alabama enslavers were well-known plantation owners. Therefore, I asked ChatGPT questions about the experiences of my enslaved Alabama family members. I am still in the process of checking the accuracy of the responses. For example, to my surprise one ChatGPT response indicated that my enslaved ancestors might have been involved with the Underground Railroad. I am checking out that ChatGPT response, and others. To be clear, AI tools do not replace human expertise in genealogy research, and should be utilized in an auxiliary manner.
Accessing genealogy resources
For beginning family-history researchers, ChatGPT could identify helpful resources. The list might include online databases, historical archives, or even community organizations that focus on preserving, and sharing, history and culture.
Conclusion
In conclusion, ChatGPT could assist in genealogy research. Depending upon your query, it could provide historical context for your research topic, point to information about communities and experiences related to family members, and recommend useful databases and archives. As this new tool continues to advance, the ways in which it might be utilized in genealogy research will increase. As previously stated, always double-check the responses generated by ChatGPT, as this technology tool, though powerful, is known to sometimes generate incorrect, nonsensical answers.
See our website https://documentyourfamilyhistory.com/ for additional genealogy resources.