More On the FamilySearch "AI Research Assistant" (Second Product)

After I posted Trying the New AI Research Assistant on FamilySearch (First Product) on 9 March 2025, reader Ben Baker (of FamilySearch) made an excellent comment, patiently saying:

"Thank you for your detailed review and explanations of FamilySearch's AI Research Assistant. I am on the team that developed this and wanted to help you and any of your readers better understand what it can do and solicit your feedback on what is/isn't working well for you.

• "First off, I’ll mention that there are kind of two products within the AI Research Assistant. The first presents up to 5 tree expanding hints from the home page. The second piece searches both FamilySearch sources and the web for a specific person. These sources along with the data available on the person page provide the basis for being able to ask questions about this person in an AI Chatbot. This second part is available on any deceased person within the tree, not just those presented as tree expanding from the home page.  

• "One of the features I believe genealogists will love once they realize what it is doing (and we continue to make it better) is the ability to see all of the sources found for a person. We believe this is going to save researchers time because it is doing multiple searches at once and filtering the results. Once you ask a question, you’ll see an All Sources button which will allow you to see everything the AI Research Assistant found for the person. I wanted to attach a screenshot, but apparently I can't in a comment. 

• "Of course, sometimes it still makes mistakes and includes incorrect sources. We hope to have the ability to dismiss incorrect sources soon. 

• Another feature several have asked for that I lobbied to get in too is to show which of these sources is already attached. I also think we should show which ones are already being shown as Record Hints so it’s more obvious which ones are new."

My blog post highlighted the five "tree-expanding hints" from the home page - what Ben called the "first product."

The "second product" in the AI Research Assistant is the feature that searches FamilySearch sources and the internet for a specific person.  I tried this:

1)  From a person profile in the FamilySearch Family Tree (I chose John Rich (1790-1968) 9KC2-33H), the screen now looks like this:

The AI Research Assistant is featured on the line below the menus, and above the "Vitals" information.  On the right side of the "AI Research Assistant" line are two buttons - one for a Tutorial and the other, green, button to "Open" the AI Researc Assistant.

I clicked the green "Open" button and saw:

On the right side of the screen are five pre-set questions that the user can select.  Or the user can type their own question in the box at the top of the right side of the screen.  I selected the fifth question - "What was it like when John Rich was alive?"

2)  It took the Research Assistant about 30 seconds to answer the question.  The response was:

"The Likely Experience of John Rich During His Lifetime

"John Rich likely experienced a life shaped by the socio-economic conditions of early 19th century England, particularly as a weaver in Wiltshire.

"John Rich was born around 1791 in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, and lived during a time of significant social and economic change. As a weaver, he was part of a trade that was crucial to the local economy, especially in the textile industry, which was prominent in the region. His marriage to Rebecca Hill in 1815 and their subsequent family life, raising eleven children, would have been influenced by the challenges of providing for a large family in a rural setting. The 1841 census indicates he was living in Hilperton, where he was recorded as a weaver, suggesting he was engaged in a skilled trade that was likely affected by the industrial changes occurring in England at the time. The family structure, with multiple children, reflects common practices of the era, where larger families were often necessary for labor and support. John Rich's life would have been marked by the typical struggles of the working class, including economic pressures, health issues, and the responsibilities of family life. His death in 1868, just before the significant social reforms of the late 19th century, suggests he may not have experienced the benefits of these changes."

 3)  At the bottom of the response is a link for "Sources."  I clicked on that and saw:

The right side of the screen now shows five sources,with links (after I clicked on the "More" link, about John Rich's life from the WikiTree profile for John Rich, a blog post, and three FamilySearch records (shown below):

All Sources

• John Rich (bef.1790-bef.1868) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Summary -- Provides biographical details about John Rich, including his occupation and family life.

Excerpt -- John was born in about 1793 in Hilperton, Wiltshire, England. He married Rebecca Hill on 14 February 1815 in Hilperton, Wiltshire, England. The couple had 11 children.

• Genea-Musings: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 35: #42 John Rich (1791-1868)

Summary -- Details John Rich's family background, marriage, and occupation as a weaver.

Excerpt -- John Rich was probably born between 1789 and 1794... John's occupation is given as weaver.

• John Rich, "England, Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991"

Summary -- Records John Rich's death and burial details.

Excerpt -- John Rich... burial date: 6 Jun 1868... place: Hilperton, Wiltshire, England.

• John Rich, "England, Wiltshire, Church Records, 1518-1990"

Summary -- Provides burial and residence information for John Rich.

Excerpt -- John Rich... burial date: 6 Jun 1868... place: Hilperton, Wiltshire, England.

• John Rich, "England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975"

Summary -- Records the christening of John Rich and his parentage.

Excerpt -- John Rich... christening date: 14 Nov 1790... place: Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England.

If you click on the button for "All Sources" on the right of the "Sources" title, you can see ALL of the sources for the person used for the answer.  The list includes "Web Sources" and "FamilySearch Sources:"

There are 5 Web Sources and 75 FamilySearch Sources listed.

At the top of the right-hand side is an arrow serving as a "Back" button so that you can ask another question of the AI feature.  

Note that this feature relies on free web search sites like blogs, RootsWeb, and WikiTree.  There may be more information about this person on Ancestry, Findmypast or MyHeritage, or on other subscription sites, or in paper-based repositories.  We have to fish in all ponds.

4)  This "second product" of the AI Research Assistant is excellent, in my humble opinion.   The user can click on any one of those links and, if the record pertains to the selected person, add or edit information and sources to the FamilySearch Person Profile.  

Thank you to Ben Baker for commenting on my first post on the AI Research Assistant - I got tangled up on that post because the information I found seemed wrong.  I hope that this post gets it right!

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