Getting Started With AI for the Absolute Beginner

From what you hear online, you would think that getting started using an AI chatbot was complicated**,** with tons of jargon and arcane commands. However, getting started is as simple as asking a question. If you look carefully at the Google Gemini entry field, you will see that the instructions for the chatbot are simple: 'Ask Gemini.' Here are three steps to getting started. I am using Google Gemini because it is probably the AI chatbot that you will have the most access to.

Step One: If you already have a Google account, you're ready to start. But if you do not have a Google account, you will need to sign into Google. You may already have a Google account if you have Gmail, Chrome, or any other Google product. 

Step two is also fairly simple. Search for and open Gemini. You should see a screen that looks like this. 

Step three: Ask a question. 

 At this point, I have some suggestions for your first questions.

1. How do I ask you questions?
2. How do I design prompts?

The difference between a question and a prompt is:

• A question asks for some information.
• A prompt gives Gemini directions to do something.

The whole key to learning about AI involves continuing to ask questions and give prompts. If you are using or considering using AI for genealogical research, simply continue to ask questions about how to do genealogical research with Gemini. If you read any articles or hear from one of your friends, neighbors, or relatives about how they are using AI, simply take their suggestion and ask Gemini whether it is a good idea or not. It's that simple. Don't try to make things more complicated. 

 If you want a lot of help really fast, you can click on the tools link in the chat box and select "Guided Learning." Then, the question would be a prompt: "Teach me how to use AI." 

 Currently, Google has three levels of Gemini:

1. You get it when you sign in
2. Gemini Pro, which costs $20/month (which, of course, may change) 
3. For businesses and costs $250/month

You do not need the third level unless you are a programmer or a business. If you have any questions, the answer is still simple: Ask Gemini! 

Just a note. As of February 2026, the Gemini ecosystem is headlined by the Gemini 3 series, featuring the flagship Gemini 3 Pro for complex reasoning and the lightning-fast Gemini 3 Flash, both of which now include a dedicated "Thinking" mode for advanced agentic workflows and "vibe coding." While Gemini 3 Flash has become the default model for most users due to its near-pro-level intelligence at a lower latency, Gemini 3 Pro remains the top choice for sophisticated math, coding, and deep research tasks. Additionally, Google continues to support the Gemini 2.5 family (Pro, Flash, and Flash-Lite) for high-volume enterprise tasks, though older Gemini 2.0 models are scheduled for retirement by March 2026. This lineup is rounded out by specialized tools like Nano Banana Pro for high-fidelity image editing and the Veo 3.1 model for state-of-the-art video generation.

The 17 Rules of Gnealogy now a video

 

https://youtu.be/mDIGO80_xCM?si=aJ3VMb6oCkHCpRBY

I have been developing these rules for many years and now the number stands at 17. Watch this video for a quick view (an hour) about each one of the 17 Rules. Here is a summary of the rules, not necessarily in numerical order. 

In this video, James Tanner presents his updated 17 Rules of Genealogy, which serve as "guard rails" to keep researchers grounded in historical reality and logic.

The Basics & Physical Realities

• Rule 1: When the baby was born, the mother was there. 04:13 Opens in a new window A mother cannot give birth in two places at once or after her death; records contradicting this are incorrect.

• Rule 2: Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. 05:48 Opens in a new window The lack of a death record or obituary does not mean a person is still alive; many deaths were simply never recorded.

• Rule 3: Every person has a unique identity. 07:38 Opens in a new window Every individual has a unique birth order and biological parents. Use "FAN" (Friends, Associates, Neighbors) research to differentiate between people with the same name.

The Nature of Records

• Rule 4: There are always more records. 10:04 Opens in a new window Most researchers only reach the end of "BMD" (Birth, Marriage, Death) and census records. Countless other categories (land, tax, court, church) often remain unexplored.

• Rule 5: You can't get blood out of a turnip. 12:06 Opens in a new window If a record was never created or has been destroyed, you cannot force a conclusion. You must accept the limitations of available data.

• Rule 6: Records move. 14:15 Opens in a new window Records rarely stay where the event happened. They migrate to county seats, state archives, or national repositories, often following boundary changes.

• Rule 17: Where life happened, records remained. 18:24 Opens in a new window Even if formal birth/death records don't exist (common in early Latin America), other records of a person's life usually do. You must identify who had the authority to record events at that time.

Movement & Patterns

• Rule 7: Information and genealogical flow move downhill. 20:50 Opens in a new window It is easier to trace descendants forward in time than ancestors backward. Records become scarcer and oral histories fade as you go further back.

• Rule 8: Everything in genealogy is connected. 25:34 Opens in a new window Unconventional records—like cattle brands, which were inheritable property—can reveal family connections and maiden names.

• Rule 9: Patterns are everywhere. 28:10 Opens in a new window Human behavior is patterned. Understanding naming conventions, migration routes, and social behaviors helps predict where an ancestor went or who they were.

• Rule 10: Read the fine print. 34:38 Opens in a new window Answers to "brick walls" are often hidden in witnesses' signatures, marginal notes, or the neighbors listed on a census page.

Truth & Verification

• Rule 11: Coincidences happen. 37:32 Opens in a new window Matching names, dates, and places do not guarantee it is your ancestor. You need corroborating evidence to prove identity.

• Rule 15: A fact is not a fact without a record. 41:17 Opens in a new window Pedigrees that go back centuries into nobility are often just theories or hearsay unless backed by contemporaneous historical records.

Methodology & Philosophy

• Rule 12: The end is always there. 45:30 Opens in a new window All lineages eventually end where records no longer exist. Recognizing this prevents the fabrication of false lineages back to antiquity.

• Rule 13: Don't just fill in the blanks. 50:29 Opens in a new window Genealogists can be "collectors" who feel compelled to fill every spot on a fan chart. This pressure often leads to adding names without proper evidence.

• Rule 14: You aren't responsible for what you find. 53:25 Opens in a new window You may discover ancestors who were criminals or slave owners. You are simply an observer and recorder of history, not responsible for their actions.

• Rule 16: Gravity always wins. 54:05 Opens in a new window Physical deterioration (fire, mold, pests) destroys records. Don't build "false pedigrees" on shaky ground, as they will eventually fall apart.

For more details, you can view the full video An Update of the Now Seventeen Rules of Genealogy.