Episode #29 - Genealogy and AI: Knowledge is Power with Lisa Louise Cooke

Episode Summary: Is AI a genealogy best friend or a "hallucinating" hazard? This week, we explore how AI tools are helping professional researchers and hobbyists alike process data at lightning speed. From transcribing messy records to identifying migration patterns that used to take weeks to uncover, Lisa and Kristin share their "boots on the ground" experience with the latest technology.

Key Topics Discussed:

The AI Revolution: Why the jump from 2023 to 2025 felt like 100 miles per hour.

Tool Talk: A comparison of ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, and Grok.

Prompting Skills: The importance of "Role Play" (e.g., "Act as a professional genealogist with 40 years of experience") and why clear expectations yield better data.

NotebookLM: Using Google’s new tool to interact with your own PDFs and research books.

Ethics & Privacy: Why you should never assume privacy when chatting with an AI and how to disclose AI use in your final reports.

Guest Resources:

Genealogy Gems Website: lisalouisecooke.com

YouTube: @GenealogyGems

Facebook: Genealogy Gems

Instagram: @genealogygemspodcast