Steve Little
@digitalarchivst.bsky.social
AI Program Director, National Genealogical Society; Family History AI Show podcast; Founder: AIGenealogyInsights.com
Husband, Dad, birder, chess dilettante, film & TV fan, AI & genetic genealogist, Methodist pastor, photog, reader, writer, skygazer, NC, VA
Husband, Dad, birder, chess dilettante, film & TV fan, AI & genetic genealogist, Methodist pastor, photog, reader, writer, skygazer, NC, VA
The response to our AI symposium has been overwhelming—genealogists want honest conversation beyond "tips & tricks."
As someone using AI daily in my genealogy work, I'm excited AND concerned. Before Wednesday's session, I've mapped the terrain: the "Atlas of AI Awfuls." Thread 🧵
As someone using AI daily in my genealogy work, I'm excited AND concerned. Before Wednesday's session, I've mapped the terrain: the "Atlas of AI Awfuls." Thread 🧵
December 5, 2025 at 2:01 PM
The response to our AI symposium has been overwhelming—genealogists want honest conversation beyond "tips & tricks."
As someone using AI daily in my genealogy work, I'm excited AND concerned. Before Wednesday's session, I've mapped the terrain: the "Atlas of AI Awfuls." Thread 🧵
As someone using AI daily in my genealogy work, I'm excited AND concerned. Before Wednesday's session, I've mapped the terrain: the "Atlas of AI Awfuls." Thread 🧵
For two years, AI-generated family trees were gorgeous garbage.
My great-grandmother "Sessie" became "Susie." Dates shifted. Entire branches vanished.
Then we figured out how to eliminate hallucinations completely.
New AI. Different workflow. Perfect accuracy.
#genealogy
My great-grandmother "Sessie" became "Susie." Dates shifted. Entire branches vanished.
Then we figured out how to eliminate hallucinations completely.
New AI. Different workflow. Perfect accuracy.
#genealogy
November 30, 2025 at 2:53 AM
For two years, AI-generated family trees were gorgeous garbage.
My great-grandmother "Sessie" became "Susie." Dates shifted. Entire branches vanished.
Then we figured out how to eliminate hallucinations completely.
New AI. Different workflow. Perfect accuracy.
#genealogy
My great-grandmother "Sessie" became "Susie." Dates shifted. Entire branches vanished.
Then we figured out how to eliminate hallucinations completely.
New AI. Different workflow. Perfect accuracy.
#genealogy
Not everyone's #Thanksgiving table is easy. If yours requires some strategic boundary-setting, here's permission—with a side of humor. You're in good biblical company.
November 27, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Not everyone's #Thanksgiving table is easy. If yours requires some strategic boundary-setting, here's permission—with a side of humor. You're in good biblical company.
"Did you know? A 5-minute chat about the weather boosts synergy by 0.4%! Talk to someone today!"
- Acme Corp HR #TinyPersonalUniverse
- Acme Corp HR #TinyPersonalUniverse
November 25, 2025 at 10:31 AM
"Did you know? A 5-minute chat about the weather boosts synergy by 0.4%! Talk to someone today!"
- Acme Corp HR #TinyPersonalUniverse
- Acme Corp HR #TinyPersonalUniverse
Q: Why does AI re-imagine a photo instead of editing it?
A: It doesn't "restore" your photo — it paints a new one, guessing details from millions of other images. Eye color, skin tone? Fabricated. Always label. Always cite. Illustration, not evidence. #genealogy
A: It doesn't "restore" your photo — it paints a new one, guessing details from millions of other images. Eye color, skin tone? Fabricated. Always label. Always cite. Illustration, not evidence. #genealogy
November 24, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Q: Why does AI re-imagine a photo instead of editing it?
A: It doesn't "restore" your photo — it paints a new one, guessing details from millions of other images. Eye color, skin tone? Fabricated. Always label. Always cite. Illustration, not evidence. #genealogy
A: It doesn't "restore" your photo — it paints a new one, guessing details from millions of other images. Eye color, skin tone? Fabricated. Always label. Always cite. Illustration, not evidence. #genealogy
Prompt to show DNA inheritance like mixing paint. Distant ancestors are vivid, concentrated colors—the raw pigments. As generations blend together, the colors soften. Each child is a visual mix of their parents' colors, highlighting where (from whom) the color came from, and from how long ago. 🔗➡️
November 22, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Prompt to show DNA inheritance like mixing paint. Distant ancestors are vivid, concentrated colors—the raw pigments. As generations blend together, the colors soften. Each child is a visual mix of their parents' colors, highlighting where (from whom) the color came from, and from how long ago. 🔗➡️
In 2022, I designed a method to show DNA inheritance like mixing paint. Distant ancestors are vivid, concentrated colors—the raw pigments. Each child is a visual mix of their parents' colors, highlighting where (from whom) the color came from, and from how long ago.
November 21, 2025 at 11:50 PM
In 2022, I designed a method to show DNA inheritance like mixing paint. Distant ancestors are vivid, concentrated colors—the raw pigments. Each child is a visual mix of their parents' colors, highlighting where (from whom) the color came from, and from how long ago.
Remixing and mashing-up a friend's chalkboard idea with my Ahnentafel experiments. Not too shabby! PROMPT:
"You are a professional genealogist. Your goal is to educate and engage. Review basics of Ahnentafel lists; use this Ahnentafel list. Generate a family tree according as a blackboard drawing.
"You are a professional genealogist. Your goal is to educate and engage. Review basics of Ahnentafel lists; use this Ahnentafel list. Generate a family tree according as a blackboard drawing.
November 21, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Remixing and mashing-up a friend's chalkboard idea with my Ahnentafel experiments. Not too shabby! PROMPT:
"You are a professional genealogist. Your goal is to educate and engage. Review basics of Ahnentafel lists; use this Ahnentafel list. Generate a family tree according as a blackboard drawing.
"You are a professional genealogist. Your goal is to educate and engage. Review basics of Ahnentafel lists; use this Ahnentafel list. Generate a family tree according as a blackboard drawing.
Yesterday, I took a screenshot of my family tree at 5:20 PM.
By 6:40 PM, I had an Nano Banana Pro-generated heirloom chart with EVERY name verifiable.
Between those times? Total failure, an EXPLETIVE DELETED moment, and an insight that you can use.
By 6:40 PM, I had an Nano Banana Pro-generated heirloom chart with EVERY name verifiable.
Between those times? Total failure, an EXPLETIVE DELETED moment, and an insight that you can use.
November 21, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Yesterday, I took a screenshot of my family tree at 5:20 PM.
By 6:40 PM, I had an Nano Banana Pro-generated heirloom chart with EVERY name verifiable.
Between those times? Total failure, an EXPLETIVE DELETED moment, and an insight that you can use.
By 6:40 PM, I had an Nano Banana Pro-generated heirloom chart with EVERY name verifiable.
Between those times? Total failure, an EXPLETIVE DELETED moment, and an insight that you can use.
You will hear of launches and rumors of launches—but here's how to test Gemini 3 yourself. Pick one stubborn document or photo. Run it through our #genealogy research-tuned Gem today (Gemini 2.5). Save everything. When G3 lands, rerun the exact same prompts. If it's real, you'll feel the difference.
November 18, 2025 at 12:16 AM
You will hear of launches and rumors of launches—but here's how to test Gemini 3 yourself. Pick one stubborn document or photo. Run it through our #genealogy research-tuned Gem today (Gemini 2.5). Save everything. When G3 lands, rerun the exact same prompts. If it's real, you'll feel the difference.
Know Your Data. Know Your Model. Know Your Limits.
Prof Mollick articulates why this framework matters: "You need to know specifically what YOUR AI is good at, not what AIs are good at on average."
Test models on YOUR real genealogical work—not generic assumptions.
Link ➡️
Prof Mollick articulates why this framework matters: "You need to know specifically what YOUR AI is good at, not what AIs are good at on average."
Test models on YOUR real genealogical work—not generic assumptions.
Link ➡️
November 12, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Know Your Data. Know Your Model. Know Your Limits.
Prof Mollick articulates why this framework matters: "You need to know specifically what YOUR AI is good at, not what AIs are good at on average."
Test models on YOUR real genealogical work—not generic assumptions.
Link ➡️
Prof Mollick articulates why this framework matters: "You need to know specifically what YOUR AI is good at, not what AIs are good at on average."
Test models on YOUR real genealogical work—not generic assumptions.
Link ➡️
The 'AI slop' critics point to? That's just beginner output. Learning LLMs is like learning to ride a bike—you can't read your way to mastery. Smart people try once, produce dreck, then dismiss the tool. But they're confusing their inexperience with the tool's limits.
November 11, 2025 at 3:14 AM
The 'AI slop' critics point to? That's just beginner output. Learning LLMs is like learning to ride a bike—you can't read your way to mastery. Smart people try once, produce dreck, then dismiss the tool. But they're confusing their inexperience with the tool's limits.
A Sunday morning reflection:
“Every design choice expresses a vision of humanity.” —Pope Leo XIV
There are better and worse ways to steer the AI revolution. The worst hands our values to a few unaccountable corporate tech boards while governments dither or sell-out. (1/4)
“Every design choice expresses a vision of humanity.” —Pope Leo XIV
There are better and worse ways to steer the AI revolution. The worst hands our values to a few unaccountable corporate tech boards while governments dither or sell-out. (1/4)
November 9, 2025 at 11:44 AM
A Sunday morning reflection:
“Every design choice expresses a vision of humanity.” —Pope Leo XIV
There are better and worse ways to steer the AI revolution. The worst hands our values to a few unaccountable corporate tech boards while governments dither or sell-out. (1/4)
“Every design choice expresses a vision of humanity.” —Pope Leo XIV
There are better and worse ways to steer the AI revolution. The worst hands our values to a few unaccountable corporate tech boards while governments dither or sell-out. (1/4)
This spring, new AI photo tools arrived. Genealogists experimented. Then quickly we realized: these tools don't "restore" historical photos—they may fabricate new faces.
By August, these "restorations" were everywhere, unlabeled, corrupting our shared historical record. #genealogy
By August, these "restorations" were everywhere, unlabeled, corrupting our shared historical record. #genealogy
November 7, 2025 at 3:39 PM
This spring, new AI photo tools arrived. Genealogists experimented. Then quickly we realized: these tools don't "restore" historical photos—they may fabricate new faces.
By August, these "restorations" were everywhere, unlabeled, corrupting our shared historical record. #genealogy
By August, these "restorations" were everywhere, unlabeled, corrupting our shared historical record. #genealogy
The Coalition for Responsible AI in #Genealogy has released its new official position statement: "Protecting Trust in Historical Images."
While AI "photo restoration" tools can be helpful, they also risk altering or fabricating features, misleading researchers. Link and more ►
While AI "photo restoration" tools can be helpful, they also risk altering or fabricating features, misleading researchers. Link and more ►
November 7, 2025 at 2:33 AM
The Coalition for Responsible AI in #Genealogy has released its new official position statement: "Protecting Trust in Historical Images."
While AI "photo restoration" tools can be helpful, they also risk altering or fabricating features, misleading researchers. Link and more ►
While AI "photo restoration" tools can be helpful, they also risk altering or fabricating features, misleading researchers. Link and more ►
Hello friends and fellow researchers! Episode 36 of the podcast, “A Simple Path to Better Prompts,” is out this morning, and I’d like to give you a long walk-through of the Tip of the Week, "Building Reusable Research Prompts," which I shared in this episode. (Link in next comment.) #genealogy
November 3, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Hello friends and fellow researchers! Episode 36 of the podcast, “A Simple Path to Better Prompts,” is out this morning, and I’d like to give you a long walk-through of the Tip of the Week, "Building Reusable Research Prompts," which I shared in this episode. (Link in next comment.) #genealogy
I've written thousands of prompts over the last three years; here are the sixteen that have stood the test of time. These are my best that I still use every day, gathered in one quick copy-and-paste guide. I keep these at my fingertips in a clipboard manager, and reuse them all day long.
October 31, 2025 at 10:03 AM
I've written thousands of prompts over the last three years; here are the sixteen that have stood the test of time. These are my best that I still use every day, gathered in one quick copy-and-paste guide. I keep these at my fingertips in a clipboard manager, and reuse them all day long.
This isn't a future problem—people are already experiencing the impact. AI should be made to pay its own way. Data centers should pay higher tax rates. "Taxing compute" needs to be a part of the common vocabulary. We need governments worthy of this challenge.
October 23, 2025 at 4:43 PM
This isn't a future problem—people are already experiencing the impact. AI should be made to pay its own way. Data centers should pay higher tax rates. "Taxing compute" needs to be a part of the common vocabulary. We need governments worthy of this challenge.
Some folks think AI is a bubble. That is wishful thinking. Companies will fail, but the AI revolution will roll-on. The difference is the rate of change. Even if progress stopped today, it will take decades to discover the capabilities already under our fingertips.
October 23, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Some folks think AI is a bubble. That is wishful thinking. Companies will fail, but the AI revolution will roll-on. The difference is the rate of change. Even if progress stopped today, it will take decades to discover the capabilities already under our fingertips.
Asking a model to critique or improve your prompts--called "meta-prompting"--is a strong and good use of these tools. And both OpenAI and Anthropic has tools to help you craft better prompts.
console.anthropic.com/dashboard
console.anthropic.com/dashboard
September 29, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Asking a model to critique or improve your prompts--called "meta-prompting"--is a strong and good use of these tools. And both OpenAI and Anthropic has tools to help you craft better prompts.
console.anthropic.com/dashboard
console.anthropic.com/dashboard
The barrier between an idea and a compelling image has essentially disappeared.
September 14, 2025 at 2:35 AM
The barrier between an idea and a compelling image has essentially disappeared.
Here's a prompt to add a spectral wire sculpture to an image, inspired by the context and contents of the image (link to full prompt in first comment).
September 12, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Here's a prompt to add a spectral wire sculpture to an image, inspired by the context and contents of the image (link to full prompt in first comment).
The prompt to generate the image was itself crafted with a strong writer, o3, and is interesting to read in its own.
I crafted the prompt below with an earlier version of OpenAI's o3 model. The image was generated with their GPT-4o model. (Full prompt in image.)
I crafted the prompt below with an earlier version of OpenAI's o3 model. The image was generated with their GPT-4o model. (Full prompt in image.)
June 14, 2025 at 5:11 AM
The prompt to generate the image was itself crafted with a strong writer, o3, and is interesting to read in its own.
I crafted the prompt below with an earlier version of OpenAI's o3 model. The image was generated with their GPT-4o model. (Full prompt in image.)
I crafted the prompt below with an earlier version of OpenAI's o3 model. The image was generated with their GPT-4o model. (Full prompt in image.)
Virginia’s Great Seal (1776)—devised by revolutionaries George Wythe and George Mason—shows the Roman goddess Virtus, spear grounded, sword poised, standing over a deposed, crown-fallen tyrant; its motto “Sic semper tyrannis” (“Thus always to tyrants”) proclaims unending resistance to oppression.
June 14, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Virginia’s Great Seal (1776)—devised by revolutionaries George Wythe and George Mason—shows the Roman goddess Virtus, spear grounded, sword poised, standing over a deposed, crown-fallen tyrant; its motto “Sic semper tyrannis” (“Thus always to tyrants”) proclaims unending resistance to oppression.
Predicted, now here: GPT-4o generates accurate in-image text. However, "AI Reconstruction" by GPT-4o prompts debate: what do we call these things?!?
Image: The man on the left is my grandfather; the man on the right is not.
aigenealogyinsights.com/2025/06/10/e...
Image: The man on the left is my grandfather; the man on the right is not.
aigenealogyinsights.com/2025/06/10/e...
June 11, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Predicted, now here: GPT-4o generates accurate in-image text. However, "AI Reconstruction" by GPT-4o prompts debate: what do we call these things?!?
Image: The man on the left is my grandfather; the man on the right is not.
aigenealogyinsights.com/2025/06/10/e...
Image: The man on the left is my grandfather; the man on the right is not.
aigenealogyinsights.com/2025/06/10/e...