Guiding Principles for Responsible AI in Genealogy: Disclosure

This image was obtained from Pixabay.com and is in the public domain

 

Disclosure

Acknowledging the use of AI enhances trust. Therefore, members of the genealogical community disclose, as context requires, when AI materially influences the creation or modification of content. Coalition for Responsible AI in Genealogy. 

Artificial Intellgence has rapidly advanced from the date of the release of ChatGPT on November 30, 2022. The changes made by generated AI have been overwhelming in the scope and influence. Pre-AI, you could easily tell if an image or text had been "created by a computer" or scavenged from the Internet. Now the boundary between reality (created by a human being) and fantasy (created by a Chatbot) is indistinguishable from an original photograph or a text written by a human. 

It appears that the siren call of AI is invading the online genealogy websites. Despite the fact that photography was invented in the mid-1800s, We are seeing images of people who were born long before the invention of photography in the mid-1800s. There are multiple uses of AI as a tool; transcribing records, analyzing images, full-text searching, transcription of both handwriting and texts, and translation. See Tanner, Abby. “AI and Genealogy: Advancements You Can Use • FamilySearch.” FamilySearch, August 15, 2024. https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/ai-developments-genealogy. 

The issue of disclosure arises when AI is used as a substitute for validated and accurate research and where there is a representation that the work has been produced by the researcher or author. Here are a number of websites with information about generative disclosures. 

Cornett, Wesley. “LibGuides: AI-Generated Content: Student AI Disclosures.” Accessed September 16, 2025. https://newmanu.libguides.com/ai-disclosure/student-guide.

“Data Collection & Management, Professional Perspective - How Companies Should Be Thinking About Disclosing AI Usage to Consumers.” Accessed September 16, 2025. https://www.bloomberglaw.com/external/document/XDEBUU4K000000/data-collection-management-professional-perspective-how-companie.

“Demystifying Generative AI Disclosures.” EPIC - Electronic Privacy Information Center, n.d. Accessed September 16, 2025. https://epic.org/demystifying-generative-ai-disclosures/.

“Disclosure on the Use of AI in Research Manuscripts: How Are Researchers Doing It? | Singapore Management University (SMU).” November 25, 2024. https://library.smu.edu.sg/topics-insights/disclosure-use-ai-research-manuscripts-how-are-researchers-doing-it.

Janco, Andy. “Research Guides: Generative AI: Disclosing the Use of AI.” Accessed September 16, 2025. https://libguides.princeton.edu/generativeAI/disclosure.

Koul, Parvaiz A. “Disclosing Use of Artificial Intelligence: Promoting Transparency in Publishing.” Lung India : Official Organ of Indian Chest Society 40, no. 5 (2023): 401–3. https://doi.org/10.4103/lungindia.lungindia_370_23.

Martin, Brian Heidelberger, Ryan. “Disclosures Required When Using AI-Generated Actors/Voices (via Passle).” Passle, May 9, 2024. https://quicktakes.loeb.com//post/102j748/disclosures-required-when-using-ai-generated-actors-voices.

Mills, Elizabeth M. Renieris, David Kiron, and Steven. “Artificial Intelligence Disclosures Are Key to Customer Trust.” MIT Sloan Management Review, September 24, 2024. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/artificial-intelligence-disclosures-are-key-to-customer-trust/.

Resnik, David B., and Mohammad Hosseini. “Disclosing Artificial Intelligence Use in Scientific Research and Publication: When Should Disclosure Be Mandatory, Optional, or Unnecessary?” Accountability in Research 0, no. 0 (n.d.): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/08989621.2025.2481949.

Tanner, Abby. “AI and Genealogy: Advancements You Can Use • FamilySearch.” FamilySearch, August 15, 2024. https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/ai-developments-genealogy.

It will take some time before the various opinions expressed in these articles are developed into an overall methodology for the use of AI.  

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