Testing MyHeritage’s New Scribe AI: A Genealogist’s Real-World Results

Testing MyHeritage’s Scribe AI tool on challenging historical genealogy records.

When MyHeritage introduced Scribe AI at RootsTech 2026, it promised something genealogists have long hoped for: an AI tool capable of analyzing historical images, transcribing difficult handwriting, interpreting gravestones, and even providing insights about old family photographs.

Naturally, I wanted to see how well it actually performs in real genealogy research.

So instead of testing it on a few easy examples, I deliberately ran Scribe AI through a series of challenging records, including Hebrew gravestones, faded and water damaged German Bible entries, messy Spanish handwriting, a blurry newspaper screenshot, an 1848 probate letter, historical photographs, and even a degraded German parish marriage record preserved only as an old photocopy.

The results were surprisingly impressive.

Scribe AI is designed to analyze several types of historical images, including:

• Documents – transcribing handwriting and extracting genealogical facts
• Photos – estimating dates and locations based on visual clues
• Gravestones – transcribing inscriptions and interpreting carved symbols
• Heraldry – describing coats of arms and providing historical context

​​One thing that quickly became clear during my testing is that Scribe AI is not simply a transcription tool.

In addition to transcribing text, the system also analyzes the image itself and provides genealogically useful insights based on the type of record being uploaded.

In many cases, these insights were just as valuable as the transcription itself. The tool automatically identifies key information, historical context, and research suggestions without requiring any prompting.
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This is particularly useful for genealogists because the output often highlights details that might otherwise be overlooked during a quick review of a document or image.

Rather than testing only one or two examples, I selected records that would challenge the system in different ways.

For each example below, I am showing the Scribe AI output generated by the tool.

​Test 1: Jewish Headstone

The first test involved a Jewish headstone from a current client case.

Jewish gravestones often contain valuable genealogical information such as Hebrew names, patronymics (the name of the father), and traditional Hebrew phrases or abbreviations.
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Scribe AI Output
*Click to view

Example 1-1: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a Jewish headstone

Example 1-2: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a Jewish headstone

Example 1-3: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a Jewish headstone

Example 1-4: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a Jewish headstone

​Result
Scribe AI successfully transcribed the Hebrew inscription and identified the structure of the information on the stone. For genealogists researching Jewish ancestry, tools like this could be especially helpful when Hebrew inscriptions contain details not found in civil records.

​Test 2: Blurry Jewish Headstone

Next, I intentionally uploaded a blurry image of a Jewish headstone to test how well the system could handle poor image quality.

In real genealogy research, gravestone photos are often taken under less-than-ideal conditions and may be slightly out of focus.
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Scribe AI Output
*Click to view

Example 2-1: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a blurry Jewish headstone

Example 2-2: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a blurry Jewish headstone

Example 2-3: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a blurry Jewish headstone

Example 2-4: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a blurry Jewish headstone

Result
Even with the reduced image clarity, Scribe AI still produced a usable transcription of the inscription. This was an encouraging result, since many genealogy images are not perfectly photographed.

Test 3: German Family Bible Entry

For the next test, I uploaded very old handwritten German entries from my 3rd great-grandfather’s family Bible.

The writing was extremely challenging to read due to faded ink, messy handwriting, and water damage.
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Scribe AI Output
*Click to view

Example 3-1: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a damaged German bible entry

Example 3-2: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a damaged German bible entry

Example 3-3: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a damaged German bible entry

Example 3-4: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a damaged German bible entry

Result
Scribe AI produced a strong attempt at transcribing the text. While a few names (there were 3 pages, in which only one is shown) were incorrect, the system clearly identified portions that were illegible rather than attempting to guess. This is actually a positive feature, since it prevents researchers from relying on potentially incorrect interpretations.

​Test 4: Spanish Handwriting on a Dark Photocopy

Another test involved a document written in old Spanish handwriting, preserved only as a very dark photocopy from the 1960s.

The background of the image is extremely dark, making it difficult to read even with the naked eye.
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Scribe AI Output
​*Click to view

Example 4-1: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing Spanish handwriting on a dark photocopy

Example 4-2: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing Spanish handwriting on a dark photocopy

Example 4-3: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing Spanish handwriting on a dark photocopy

Example 4-4: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing Spanish handwriting on a dark photocopy

Result
Despite the poor image quality, the transcription generated by Scribe AI was remarkably accurate and readable.

​Test 5: 1848 Probate Letter

I also tested Scribe AI with an 1848 handwritten probate letter from one of my client cases.

Older legal documents are often written in cursive styles that modern transcription tools struggle to interpret.
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Scribe AI Output
​​*Click to view

Example 5-1: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing an 1848 probate record

Example 5-2: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing an 1848 probate record

Example 5-3: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing an 1848 probate record

Example 5-4: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing an 1848 probate record

Result
Scribe AI handled the handwriting extremely well and produced a clear transcription of the document.

​Test 6: Blurry Newspaper Screenshot

For another test, I intentionally uploaded a blurry phone screenshot of a newspaper article, from another client case,  to see how the system handled degraded newspaper print.
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Scribe AI Output
​​​*Click to view

Example 6-1: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a blurry newspaper screenshot

Example 6-2: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a blurry newspaper screenshot

Example 6-3: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a blurry newspaper screenshot

Example 6-4: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a blurry newspaper screenshot

Example 6-5: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a blurry newspaper screenshot

Result
Despite the lower image quality, the transcription was essentially flawless.

​Test 7: Benchmark Death Certificate

One document I frequently use to evaluate transcription tools is my 2nd great-grandfather’s death certificate.

This record contains a mixture of printed fields, handwritten entries, and medical terminology, which makes it a good test for transcription accuracy.
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Scribe AI Output
​​​​*Click to view

Example 7-1: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a benchmark death certificate

Example 7-2: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a benchmark death certificate

Example 7-3: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a benchmark death certificate

Example 7-4: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a benchmark death certificate

Example 7-5: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a benchmark death certificate

Example 7-6: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a benchmark death certificate

Result
Scribe AI produced the most accurate transcription I have seen so far for this document. The only differences were the registrar’s middle initial and the word duplex in the cause of death, which was interpreted as a variation of “double.” Everything else was transcribed correctly.

​Test 8: Historical Family Photograph

Scribe AI also analyzes historical photographs, generating contextual insights about the image.

I tested this feature using a photo of my 2nd great-grandmother with several of her daughters, including my great-grandmother.
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Scribe AI Output
​​​​*Click to view

Example 8-1: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a historical family photograph

Example 8-2: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a historical family photograph

Example 8-3: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a historical family photograph

Example 8-4: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a historical family photograph

Result
The system generated a detailed description of the photograph and provided contextual insights about the scene and the individuals pictured. This feature could be especially helpful when analyzing unidentified or poorly documented family photos.

​Test 9: German Parish Marriage Record

The most impressive result came from a German parish marriage record for my 4th great-grandparents.

The image I uploaded was a very poor photocopy from the early 1980s that my father received after hiring a German researcher to extract records directly from parish registers.

The page itself presents several challenges:

• the top half contains the end of another entry
• the bottom half contains my ancestors’ marriage record
• portions of the page are darkened due to the photocopy process

Fortunately, the researcher also provided a full transcription and translation years ago, allowing me to compare the AI output with a verified version.
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Scribe AI Output
​​​​​*Click to view

Example 9-1: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a German parish marriage record

Example 9-2: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a German parish marriage record

Example 9-3: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a German parish marriage record

Example 9-4: MyHeritage’s Scribe AI analyzing a German parish marriage record

Result
Scribe AI transcribed nearly the entire entry correctly. The only notable differences were in my ancestor’s surname being incorrect and interpreting his father’s occupation as master mason instead of master cartwright. Considering the poor image quality and age of the record, the accuracy was impressive.

​Beyond Transcription: Genealogical Insights

​One of the most impressive aspects of Scribe AI is that the results go well beyond simple transcription. Depending on the type of image uploaded, the system generates different categories of analysis designed specifically for genealogical research.

During my tests, the outputs included several types of insights.

Gravestones
For gravestone images, Scribe AI generated sections such as:

• Inscription Highlights
• Iconography & Symbolism
• Monument Details
• Location Context
• Research Suggestions
• Inscription Translation (when applicable)

The research suggestions were particularly helpful, pointing to additional records or sources that could be useful for further investigation.

Foreign Language Documents
For records written in another language, Scribe AI produced:

• Historical Context
• Details Mentioned
• Key Findings
• Suggested Next Steps
• Full Text Transcription
• Translation

This structure makes the information much easier to digest, especially when working with historical documents written in unfamiliar languages.

Documents in the User’s Language
For documents written in the user interface language, the output still included:

• Historical Context
• Details Mentioned
• Key Findings
• Suggested Next Steps
• Full Text Transcription

Even without translation, these insights helped highlight the most important genealogical information contained in the record.

Newspapers
When analyzing newspaper articles, the system also provided:

• Key Findings
• Historical Context
• Details Mentioned
• Suggested Next Steps
• Full Text Transcription

This format makes it easier to quickly identify the key genealogical details mentioned in an article.

Historical Photographs
When analyzing family photographs, Scribe AI generated insights including:

• Key Findings
• Historical Background
• Estimated Date
• Estimated Location
• Visual Clues
• Technical Details

These observations can be especially helpful when trying to interpret or date unidentified photographs.

Final Thoughts

After running Scribe AI through a wide range of real genealogical records, I came away genuinely impressed.

What makes this tool particularly interesting is that it goes well beyond simple transcription. In addition to extracting text, Scribe AI analyzes the record itself and provides contextual insights, historical background, and research suggestions that are directly relevant to genealogical research.

During my tests, it handled a wide variety of challenging genealogical materials including:

• foreign-language documents
• historical handwriting
• degraded photocopies
• blurry images
• gravestone inscriptions
• historical photographs

with surprising accuracy.

Of course, as with any AI tool, the results should always be reviewed carefully and verified against the original record. AI should assist genealogical research — not replace careful analysis.

However, as a research assistant for extracting information and identifying clues within historical records, Scribe AI shows a great deal of promise.
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I will certainly continue testing it as I encounter new records in my research.

For a limited time, you can try MyHeritage's Scribe AI for free.

Try SCribe AI

​What Do You Think?

AI tools are evolving rapidly in genealogy research, and Scribe AI is one of the newest tools designed specifically to help analyze historical records and images.

Have you tried MyHeritage’s Scribe AI yet?

If so, what types of records did you test it with?
Did you find the results accurate?
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I would love to hear how it performs with other types of historical documents.

​More AI Tips, Tools, and Features​

Learn about more AI in Genealogy tips, tools, features, and resources under the AI in Genealogy category.

More MyHeritage and Genealogy Resources

Learn about more Ancestry 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.