Ancestry.com has launched a beta feature that leverages generative AI to convert historical records into narrated audio stories, adding a new dimension to genealogical storytelling. Additional educational resources on AI in genealogy are now available through Family Tree Webinars.
Detailed Updates
- AI-Generated Audio Narratives: Ancestry.com's new AI Stories feature transforms static historical records into narrated audio stories, contextualizing individual data (such as employment, physical attributes, and relationships) with relevant historical background. Stories are available in six languages and can be listened to, downloaded, or read as text 1.
- Contextual Storytelling: The AI pairs extracted record details with historical context specific to the time and place, offering additional narrative perspectives (e.g., economic roles after the Great Depression for 1940 census records) 1.
- User-Uploaded Content Integration: Users can upload personal family documents or letters and use the "Ask AncestryAI" function to generate stories from their own content 1.
- Feature Limitations: The AI Stories feature is currently limited to records attached to a person's family tree profile and is not available for all collections in Ancestry's database 1.
- AI Education Webinars: Family Tree Webinars is offering a series of sessions focused on AI applications in genealogy, with promotional access available through January 13, 2026 2 3.
Ancestry.com Introduces AI-Generated Audio Stories and Expanded AI Education Offerings