How to Get Better Genealogy Answers from AI: Weak vs. Strong Prompts
If you have ever asked ChatGPT a genealogy question and felt disappointed by the answer, you are not alone. AI tools can be extremely useful for genealogy, but only when they are given the right kind of input.
Used well, AI can help you understand record types, outline research plans, identify overlooked sources, and organize complex information. Used poorly, it produces generic advice that feels no better than a basic web search.
The difference almost always comes down to how the question is asked.
Why “Weak Prompts” Fail
Most people begin with what are known as weak prompts. These are short, vague questions that lack the context an AI needs to reason through a real research problem.
A weak prompt might look like this:
“I need help researching Joseph Tucker. He was born in 1876.”
To a human genealogist, this is already insufficient. To an AI, it is even worse. There is no location, no indication of what records have been checked, and no explanation of what problem you are trying to solve. The result is usually a broad list of obvious suggestions that do not move the research forward.
This is not because the AI is incapable. It is because it has nothing solid to work with.
Think of AI as a Junior Researcher
A more accurate way to think about AI is as a very fast, very literal junior researcher. It does not intuit your goals. It does not know what you have already done. It cannot infer geographic or historical context unless you provide it.
When you give clear instructions, it performs surprisingly well. When you do not, it fills in gaps with generic assumptions.
The quality of the output reflects the quality of the guidance.
The Weak Prompt Example
Here is a typical weak genealogy prompt:
“I need help researching Joseph Tucker. He was born in 1876.”
This is similar to asking someone to “find a John Smith” without telling them where, when, or why. Any answer you get will necessarily be unfocused.
The Strong Prompt Example
Now compare that to a strong prompt:
“Act as a professional genealogist who specializes in Illinois research. Create a step-by-step research plan to identify the parents of Joseph Tucker, born about 1876 in Fulton County. I have already checked federal census records and found nothing before 1900. Focus only on practical next steps.”
This version works because it provides structure. It tells the AI how to think, what is already known, and exactly what kind of help is needed.
A strong prompt typically includes:
A defined role
A specific location
A clear time frame
Prior research already completed
A concrete research goal
With that information, the AI can produce guidance that mirrors how a real genealogist would approach the problem.
A Simple Formula You Can Reuse
You do not need long or complicated prompts. A simple framework is enough:
Role
“Act as a genealogist who specializes in [place or record type].”
Person
“I am researching [name], born [year] in [location].”
What I Already Tried
“I have already checked [records or sources].”
What I Need Next
“I need help with [time period, problem, or research question].”
This small shift often transforms vague answers into focused, usable research plans.
Why This Matters for Genealogy
Genealogy problems are rarely solved by a single record. They require evaluation, context, and methodical searching. AI can support that process, but only if it is guided properly.
Strong prompts do not replace good research habits. They reinforce them. They encourage clarity, documentation, and logical next steps. When used this way, AI becomes a practical assistant rather than a source of frustration.
If you want your AI tools to behave more like a genealogy assistant and less like a search engine, this is where to start.
If you would like help applying these techniques to your own research, or need hands-on assistance with a difficult case, I offer professional genealogy services. If you want ready-to-use genealogy AI frameworks and examples, I have research guides designed to help you write better prompts.
