The premier home history service globally, MyHeritage, has recently unveiled two groundbreaking innovations – AI Record FinderTM and AI BiographerTM, set to revolutionize the realm of family history for upcoming generations. Similar to the transformative impact of ChatGPT on online search capabilities, AI Record FinderTM is poised to redefine genealogy. This innovative tool functions as an interactive, intelligent, free-text chat interface, empowering users to unearth relevant historical records from MyHeritage’s vast repository of 20 billion records.
Drawing insights from historical data linked to individuals, AI BiographerTM automatically weaves a rich narrative detailing an adult’s life, crafting a narrative akin to a Wikipedia entry. Leveraging AI technology, these stories can be effortlessly shared and enriched with pertinent historical context. MyHeritage stands out as the pioneer in utilizing verbal AI for historical record searches, offering unparalleled features for family history enthusiasts. By integrating the two functions, users can generate an AI BiographyTM for individuals discovered through AI Record FinderTM. Moreover, individuals within family branches on MyHeritage can promptly receive AI BiographiesTM.
Traditionally, scouring historical records on online genealogy platforms involved a process akin to using a standard search engine. Users input names and other terms into designated fields, sifting through numerous search results to find relevant information. AI Record FinderTM revolutionizes this experience by enabling users to engage with an AI assistant via chat, facilitating quick access to records about ancestors, relatives, or deceased individuals. While traditional search methods remain available on MyHeritage, Record FinderTM AI introduces a chat mode that enhances the likelihood of discovering elusive records, thanks to AI capabilities.
The chat interface resembles an interview with a helpful concierge, offering users two modes of interaction: casual or formal. Record FinderTM AI analyzes user input, discerning the necessary details to refine search results. By prompting relevant questions based on user-provided information, the AI guide assists in locating the most pertinent records about the individual in question. Once identified, users can review the records within the chat interface and save details to their family tree seamlessly.
TM AI Biographer
TM AI Biographer crafts comprehensive, Wikipedia-style biographies encapsulating an individual’s life story. This feature proves invaluable for documenting the lives of countless individuals who may not be widely recognized and, therefore, do not feature on platforms like Wikipedia. An AI Biography™ can be generated from historical records discovered through Record FinderTM AI or from deceased individuals within a user’s family tree on MyHeritage. Leveraging MyHeritage’s sophisticated matching technologies, TM AI Biographer compiles historical records and family tree profiles relevant to the selected individual. The resulting biography is enriched with photos, scanned documents, and additional information sourced from the web, providing insights into the person’s immediate family, significant life events, historical context, and surname origins. Each biography offers a unique narrative, shareable with family and friends, and saved for future generations. Facts within AI Biographies™ include source citations, footnotes, and links to the corresponding records, with any inconsistencies duly noted. AI Biographies™ are saved as PDF files and emailed to the user.
An AI BiographyTM is integrated into the user’s family tree as a media asset, tagged with the individual’s name when created from their lineage. This ensures accessibility through the Family Tree Builder pc application and the MyHeritage mobile app, with histories automatically included each time a family tree is exported in GEDCOM format. Regenerating histories with updated information is a straightforward process, with plans to introduce additional access points for creating AI BiographiesTM in the future.
“We’re continuously pushing the boundaries of genealogy to redefine how individuals explore their family history, embodying a bold vision for genealogy in the 21st century,” remarked Gilad Japhet, Founder and CEO of MyHeritage. “Record FinderTM AI streamlines the search for ancestral information, simplifying the process and making it more intuitive. TM AI Biographer transforms details about an individual’s life into a compelling narrative. While not all our ancestors may have been renowned, they all deserve to be remembered! These cutting-edge features solidify MyHeritage’s position as a trailblazer in innovative genealogy, furthering our mission to make family history accessible, enjoyable, and engaging for all.”
Price, Language Support, and Accessibility
Currently accessible via desktop and mobile web browsers, Record FinderTM AI and TM AI Biographer will soon be available on the MyHeritage mobile app. While limited use of Record FinderTM AI is free, unrestricted chat messaging and the ability to view and save historical records necessitate a Data or Complete subscription. Users can create a few AI Biographies™ at no cost, with additional usage of TM AI Biographer requiring a Complete subscription.
Initially offered in English, Record FinderTM AI and TM AI Biographer will expand language support in the near future. Although users can converse with Record FinderTM AI in multiple languages, the initial launch response is in English.
