EP17: AI Writing Gets Easier with OpenAI’s New Canvas Feature, Chatbots Try to Replace Traditional Software, Privacy Protection and AI, Big NotebookLM Updates

Co-hosts Mark Thompson and Steve Little examine OpenAI's new Canvas feature, demonstrating how this split-screen interface revolutionizes document creation and editing for genealogists. Locality guides and research reports are used as practical examples.

They explore how AI platforms like Canvas and Perplexity Spaces are challenging traditional software, suggesting a future where content creation happens primarily within AI environments rather than conventional office applications.

This week's Tip of the Week addresses critical privacy considerations when using AI tools, introducing the practical "Water Cooler Rule" for protecting sensitive genealogical data.

In RapidFire, they discuss Apple's research on AI reasoning, NotebookLM's enhanced audio overview capabilities for turning historical documents into conversations, and preview Apple's upcoming AI features in iOS 18.1.

Whether you're embracing AI tools or just starting to explore them, this episode offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of AI’s and genealogical research.

Timestamps:

In the News:

04:15 OpenAI Canvas: The New Frontier of AI Writing

12:40 The Great Shift: AI Platforms vs Traditional Software

26:20 Perplexity Spaces: Collaborative AI Research Breakthrough

Tip of the Week:

31:30 Privacy & Protection: Smart Guidelines for AI Use in Family History

RapidFire:

39:15 Apple's Research on AI Reasoning: What It Means for Users

43:40 NotebookLM's Game-Changing Audio Features

49:25 Apple Intelligence: iOS 18.1 Preview

Resource Links

OpenAI

ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/

Canvas feature: https://openai.com/index/introducing-canvas/

Anthropic

Claude 3.5 Sonnet: https://www.anthropic.com/claude/sonnet

Artifacts feature: https://support.anthropic.com/en/articles/9487310-what-are-artifacts-and-how-do-i-use-them

Projects feature: https://www.anthropic.com/news/projects

Google

NotebookLM: https://notebooklm.google.com/

Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/

Google Slides: https://slides.google.com/  

Audio Overview feature: https://blog.google/technology/ai/notebooklm-update-october-2024/

Perplexity

Spaces (collaborative feature): https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/faq/what-are-spaces

Pages feature: https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/perplexity-pages

Microsoft

Microsoft Office: https://www.office.com/

Microsoft Word: https://www.microsoft.com/word

Microsoft Excel: https://www.microsoft.com/excel

Outlook with Copilot: https://www.microsoft.com/outlook

Apple

Apple Intelligence: https://www.apple.com/apple-intelligence/

Siri: https://www.apple.com/siri/

VOICE ASSISTANTS:

Siri (Apple): https://www.apple.com/siri/

Alexa (Amazon): https://developer.amazon.com/alexa

Google Assistant: https://assistant.google.com/

GENEALOGY RESOURCES:

North Carolina Genealogical Society: https://www.ncgenealogy.org/

National Gene