As AI chatbots increased in popularity and capabilities I continued to experiment with AI image generation including various trials of modifying and transforming existing photographs. An example of one test was recasting my maternal Great-Grandfather John as a robot. (The robot "Gene" has since become my mascot for AI endeavors.)

In another test I incorporated an AI modified image into MyHeritage's DeepStory (discontinued 2026) to create an example of AI utilizing an ancestor's avatar to "speak" about their life story.  While bringing an ancestor "back to life" is an interesting use case, it raises philosophical questions regarding "what AI could do" versus "what AI should do". 

AI continues to rapidly and significantly improve. Tools available now are able produce far more realistic content than this old 2024 test. With the increasing quality a simple question of "Which of these two guys, the man John or a Robot, is speaking?" will become more difficult to answer. In this example, John's grandchildren that personally knew him may always be able to recognize their real grandfather versus a generated imposter, but for subsequent descendants it may become impossible to know for sure.

☘️ Maternal Great-Grandfather John Hughes (1872-1963) 

• FamilySearch Profile: LBXZ-J23 

• WikiTree Profile: Hughes-28818 

🤖 Eugene Aloysius Ogychathambot

• How did "he" get his name? "Gene" + "al " + "ogy Chat" + "bot" = Genealogy Chatbot

  • Gene = Eugene (John's son, my mother's uncle's first name)

  • al = Aloysius (My mother's brother-in-law's father's middle name) 

  • ogy chatbot = Ogychathambot (Made up surname, Chatham is the model name of my house)