 Testing Ancestry's new AI-powered "Fill in Timeline Gaps" feature to see how well it enhances ancestor timeline facts Testing Ancestry's New AI "Fill in Timeline Gaps" Feature: My First ImpressionsArtificial intelligence continues making its way into genealogy, and Ancestry has quietly introduced another AI-powered feature that caught me completely by surprise. About a week and a half ago, while I was in the middle of researching one of my ancestors, I noticed something new. As I worked through an ancestor's profile in the Facts view, I saw small "Description" buttons appearing next to some—but not all—of the timeline facts. Curious, I clicked one to see what it was. That led me to Ancestry's new BETA "Fill in Timeline Gaps" feature. Of course, I had to stop what I was doing and put it through a few tests. What Is the "Fill in Timeline Gaps" Feature? When you click one of the new Description buttons, a side panel opens displaying Ancestry's BETA Fill in Timeline Gaps tool.  Ancestry AI Fill in Timeline Gaps Feature- Example The feature uses AI to generate a description for a specific timeline fact. Before generating the text, you're given three options for how detailed you'd like it to be:
It's a pretty simple concept, but one that has the potential to make ancestor profiles much more informative—especially for users who don't normally add descriptions to their timeline facts.  Ancestry AI Fill in Timeline Gaps Feature- Detail Choices Example Why Fact Descriptions MatterMany Ancestry users simply enter a date and place for events like births, residences, marriages, or deaths and move on. While that's perfectly acceptable, the Description field provides an opportunity to add context that helps tell the story behind each event. For example, instead of simply recording a residence, you might note that the family was living with relatives, renting a farm, or appearing in a particular census enumeration district. A birth description might include details taken directly from a birth record, while a military fact might summarize information found in a pension file. Adding these details can make an ancestor's timeline much richer and easier to understand without having to open every attached source. That's exactly why I was interested to see how well Ancestry's new AI handled this task. My First Test The first person I tested was my fourth great-grandfather, Nehemiah Hulet, simply because I happened to be working on his profile when I discovered the feature. I selected the Birth fact and generated all three description options. This test actually impressed me. The AI stayed focused on the birth event itself.
So far, so good.  Ancestry AI Fill in Timeline Gaps Feature- Example 1
My Second Test Produced Very Different Results Next, I switched to my "official tester ancestor," my second great-grandfather, Samuel Steinman, whose tree I've often used to evaluate new genealogy features. Once again, I selected the Birth fact and generated all three levels. This time, however, the results were completely different. Instead of describing Samuel's birth, the AI began summarizing his life.
That wasn't what I expected the feature to do.  Ancestry AI Fill in Timeline Gaps Feature- Example 2
Testing a Residence Fact I decided to keep experimenting. I selected one of Samuel's Residence facts—one of only a couple that displayed the new Description button. This time, the results were much closer to what I had hoped for. The AI focused on the specific residence and even incorporated information from one of the three sources attached to that event. Seeing the AI reference a supporting source was encouraging because I think that's where this feature has tremendous potential.  Ancestry AI Fill in Timeline Gaps Feature- Example 3 A Bit Hit-or-Miss (For Now) After trying the feature on several facts, my overall impression is that the results are currently somewhat inconsistent. Sometimes the AI stays focused exactly where it should—on the individual timeline fact. Other times it drifts into summarizing the ancestor's life rather than describing the specific event. Fortunately, this isn't particularly surprising. The feature is clearly labeled BETA, and beta features exist so developers can identify issues, improve consistency, and refine the user experience before wider release. Where I Think This Feature Could Really Shine As someone who researches professionally, I can currently write these descriptions myself much faster and with greater precision. For me, it's still quicker to manually add information to a fact description than to generate AI text and then edit it. However, experienced genealogists are not necessarily the primary audience for this feature. The majority of Ancestry users are family historians who may not realize they can—or should—add descriptions to timeline facts in the first place. For those users, this tool could become incredibly helpful. If future versions consistently:
My Overall ThoughtsI always enjoy seeing genealogy companies explore new ways to use artificial intelligence, and I appreciate that Ancestry continues experimenting with features that help users better understand and present their family history. Like many beta features, Fill in Timeline Gaps shows promise but still has a few rough edges. At the moment, I'd describe it as somewhat hit-or-miss, depending on the ancestor and timeline fact you're working with. When it stays focused on the specific event, it does a nice job of expanding the information. When it drifts into writing a mini biography for a single fact, however, it becomes much less useful. I'm optimistic that Ancestry will continue refining the feature as more people test it and provide feedback. As with any AI-generated content, remember that it should always be reviewed before accepting it. AI can be an excellent assistant, but it shouldn't replace your own analysis or careful evaluation of the records and sources supporting your research. For now, I'll continue experimenting with Fill in Timeline Gaps, and I'm interested to see how it evolves over the coming months. Have you noticed Ancestry's new AI "Fill in Timeline Gaps" feature yet? If you've tried it, I'd love to hear what you think. Did it stay focused on the individual facts, or did it wander into life summaries like some of my tests? Let me know in the comments! More Ancestry and Genealogy ResourcesLearn about more Ancestry updates, tips, tools, and features and other family history and genealogy resources under the Ancestry.com and the Genealogy Resources categories of my blog and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page. More AI Tips, Tools, and FeaturesLearn about more AI in Genealogy tips, tools, features, and resources under the AI in Genealogy category.
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 MyHeritage New Tribute Reel Photo Feature: Bringing Family Photos Together in a Video Reel MyHeritage Tribute Reel: Bringing Family Photos Together in a New Way MyHeritage continues to expand its collection of AI-powered photo tools, and in May 2026 they introduced a new feature called Tribute Reel. As someone who enjoys preserving family history and exploring new ways to share it, I decided to give it a try using photos of my mother and grandmother. The results were both fascinating and surprisingly emotional. What Is Tribute Reel? Tribute Reel lets you to combine up to 15 photographs into a single animated video. The tool animates each photo, much like MyHeritage's LiveMemory feature, then seamlessly weaves the images together into a continuous presentation. Users can:
My First Experiments I started by creating several Tribute Reels using photos of my mom. As with many AI photo tools, I quickly discovered that some images work better than others. Certain photos produced natural-looking movements, while others generated results that felt less realistic. After a few attempts, I selected the images that animated most successfully and created a version I was happy with. Next, I experimented with photos of my grandmother. Again, I tested multiple versions, swapping photographs in and out and trying different music selections to see which combinations worked best. The ability to easily recreate the reel encouraged experimentation, and I found myself refining the project several times before settling on a final version. A Genealogist's Perspective Because I personally knew both my mother and grandmother, of course, I viewed the videos with a different perspective than someone seeing them for the first time. Some of the facial expressions and movements felt familiar and believable. Others did not reflect how they actually moved or expressed themselves. This is important to remember when using any AI animation tool: the animations are generated interpretations, not authentic recordings of a person's behavior. As genealogists and family historians, we should always be careful not to confuse AI-generated content with historical reality, and mark them as so. That said, the overall effect can still be powerful. The Emotional ImpactWhat surprised me the most was the reaction from others. Several people who watched the Tribute Reel commented on how moving it was. One person said: "I don't even know you and that brought tears to my eyes. Well done!" That response reminded me that family history is ultimately about people and connections. While we spend countless hours researching records, building family trees, and analyzing DNA matches, tools like Tribute Reel offer another way to share those stories in a format that resonates emotionally with family members. For relatives who may never read a lengthy research report or family history book, a short video can sometimes create an immediate connection to the past.  MyHeritage Tribute Reel: A Tribute to My Grandmother Final ThoughtsOf Course, Tribute Reel is not a replacement for traditional genealogy research, nor should its animations be viewed as historically accurate representations of our ancestors. However, as a storytelling tool, it offers an engaging way to showcase family photographs and create meaningful presentations for relatives. Like many AI tools, the quality of the final product depends on the photographs you choose, so don't be afraid to experiment with different images and settings. After creating reels for both my mom and grandmother, I found the feature really easy to use, fun to experiment with, and capable of producing some surprisingly touching results. For family historians looking for new ways to share treasured photographs and preserve memories, Tribute Reel may be worth exploring. Have you tried MyHeritage Tribute Reel yet? I'd love to hear about your experience and see how you've used it to bring your family history to life. More MyHeritage and Genealogy ResourcesLearn about more MyHeritage updates, tips, tools, and features and other family history and genealogy resources under the MyHeritage and the Genealogy Resources categories of my blog and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page.
 Using AI beyond genealogy research: Creating speaking invites and promotional graphics in seconds with ChatGPT When most genealogists think about artificial intelligence (AI), they think about genealogy research. AI is often associated with transcribing documents, translating records, analyzing DNA matches, summarizing information, or helping solve brick wall problems. Although AI can certainly assist with those tasks, I use it for much more than genealogy research. Today, I spent some time creating promotional images for several of my upcoming genealogy presentations. It reminded me just how much AI has changed the way I create content for business and speaking engagements. What once required multiple programs and a considerable amount of design time can now usually be accomplished in seconds. My Journey Creating Speaking Invites with AII've been creating genealogy speaking invitations with AI ever since image generation tools first became available. Like many early adopters, I experienced the growing pains of the technology firsthand. The earliest AI-generated images often required significant editing and sometimes produced some pretty strange results. Text was frequently misspelled, designs could be inconsistent, and it usually took multiple attempts to create something usable. Over the past few years, however, the technology has improved dramatically. Each new update has brought better image quality, improved layouts, more realistic designs, and much greater control over the final result. Today, I can usually create a professional-looking speaking invitation in just a few seconds using ChatGPT's image generation capabilities. Examples
Less than 3 minutes for the batch. AI vs. Traditional Design ToolsFor many years, I relied heavily on Canva and Adobe Express to create promotional graphics, presentation invitations, website images, and social media content. I sometimes still use both tools and find them valuable for specific projects. Canva remains useful for certain templates and recurring image series, while Adobe Express offers additional design capabilities when I need more customization. However, when I need a quick graphic for an upcoming presentation or announcement, AI has become my first choice. Instead of starting with a blank canvas and manually building a design, I can simply describe what I need and have multiple options generated within seconds. This allows me to focus more on my presentations and less on the design process. AI in Genealogy Isn't Just for ResearchOne of the biggest misconceptions about AI in genealogy is that it is only useful for research. In reality, AI can assist genealogists in many aspects of their work, whether they are professional genealogists, society volunteers, speakers, bloggers, authors, or family historians. AI has become a valuable tool not only for discovering family history but also for sharing it with others. Other Ways Genealogists Can Use AIBeyond research, genealogists can use AI to help with:
The Biggest Benefit: Saving TimeFor me, the greatest advantage of using AI for image creation is the time savings. As genealogists, we already spend countless hours researching records, analyzing evidence, developing presentations, writing reports, creating educational content, and helping others discover their family stories. The less time I spend creating graphics from scratch, the more time I can devote to serving clients, preparing presentations, writing blog posts, and conducting research. While AI won't replace creativity or expertise, it can significantly reduce the time required to complete many routine tasks. Final ThoughtsAI has become one of the most versatile tools in my genealogy toolbox. While it can certainly assist with family history research, its usefulness extends far beyond records, DNA, and brick wall problems. Whether I'm creating speaking invitations, website graphics, blog images, or educational materials, AI helps me work more efficiently and focus on the aspects of genealogy I enjoy most. The next time you think about AI in genealogy, consider looking beyond research applications. You may discover that it can help simplify many other parts of your genealogy journey as well. How are you using AI in your genealogy work? Are you using it strictly for research, or have you found creative ways to incorporate it into your genealogy projects, presentations, society work, or business? More AI in GenealogyLearn about more AI in genealogy updates, tips, and resources (including photo tools), along with other family history and genealogy resources under the AI in Genealogy and Genealogy Resources categories and on my dedictaed Genealogy Resources page.
6/7/2026 Immigration & Passenger List Research Checklist: A Quick Guide to Finding Your Ancestor’s JourneyRead Now Immigration Research Checklist: Steps for genealogy Success Tracing an ancestor’s immigration story is one of the best parts of genealogy. Whether you’re researching 17th-century arrivals in the colonies or 20th-century passengers entering Ellis Island, immigration records provide essential clues about family origins, migration patterns, occupations, relationships, and sometimes the personal motivations behind the journey itself. Because immigration records vary a lot by time period, country, and port, this checklist gives you a structured approach that works for almost any period. Use it as a quick reference guide whenever you begin a new immigration search or when you need a framework to help untangle multiple candidates with the same name. 1. Start With What You Already Know Before jumping to the passenger lists, gather all home-country and U.S. clues.
2. Estimate the Date Range of Immigration Use U.S. records to narrow down the window:
3. Identify Likely Ports of Arrival The most common U.S. arrival ports include:
4. Search Passenger Lists Using Variants Names were recorded by how they sounded, inconsistently, and many times incorrectly.
5. Examine the Full Passenger List Page Don’t rely on just the index entry.
6. Pay Special Attention to the “Nearest Relative” Fields These fields usually contain the "breakthrough" details you may need:
7. Track Traveling Companions People rarely traveled alone.
8. Review Border Crossings and Secondary Entries Your ancestor may show up multiple times.
9. Connect Passenger Lists With Naturalization Records Naturalization files can usually clarify confusing passenger entries.
10. Look for Clues in Ship Manifests Beyond the Basic List Many manifests contain additional pages.
11. Build a Timeline of the Journey A good timeline helps you:
12. Document Findings and Cite Every Record Immigration research usually involves various pieces of indirect evidence.
Putting It All Together Immigration records can break through brick walls and connect your research directly to your ancestral homeland, but only when you approach it with a thoughtful plan. By gathering U.S. clues first, searching passenger lists systematically, paying close attention to traveling companions, and linking findings with naturalization records, you can turn scattered data into a much more understandable narrative. This checklist is ideal for your research toolkit or those “quick win” research days when you want to uncover something meaningful without taking on a major project. More Genealogy Research Tips & ResourcesFind more genealogy research tips, checklists, guides, and resources, under the Genealogy Research Tips, Genealogy Quick Tips, and Genealogy Resources categories and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page.
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Welcome to the BlogWelcome to Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family! Here you'll find genealogy research tips, family history resources, DNA insights, technology and AI tools, genealogy news, and stories from my own research journey. Whether you're just starting your family tree, exploring your ancestry, or tackling a challenging brick wall, my goal is to help you discover, understand, and preserve your family's story. Categories
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