At the RootsTech conference held in Salt Lake City on March 5 and 6, 2026, attendees engaged in discussions focused on technological innovations in genealogy. The FamilySearch Global Tech Forum showcased advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) that aim to enhance user experience while maintaining the privacy of individuals whose records are involved.
Product design engineers, including Ryan Parker and Bret Weekes, emphasized the importance of integrating AI within family history tools. Parker described AI as a means to deepen human connections in genealogical research, while Weekes reassured attendees of their commitment to user privacy. Noteworthy features unveiled included a “new change history” option and an AI-guided merge function, designed to aid users in making better merge decisions.
Another significant development was the introduction of a “full text search” capability, which has expanded the number of searchable images from 100 million in 2024 to an impressive 2.3 billion by 2026, making 20 billion names easily accessible. Attendees like Annette Carlson from Pittsburgh expressed excitement about the advancements, highlighting the ease of connecting to family trees and the discoveries made possible through these AI tools.