The following announcement was written by the (U.S.) National Genealogical Society:

FALLS CHURCH, VA, 30 OCTOBER 2023—The National Genealogical Society (NGS) has named Steve Little, an information systems specialist and professional genealogist, as its AI program director. He is the latest addition to the NGS education team led by Education Director Angela Packer McGhie, CG, FUGA. “Steve hit the ground running,” Executive Director Matt Menashes, CAE, said. “He was our keynote speaker for an artificial intelligence webinar this past September. He introduced our members to the tools that AI brings to family history research and discussed their limitations. Little is now the instructor for our newest course, Empowering Genealogists with Artificial Intelligence.”

Little is a seasoned professional with a rich and diverse career. He completed graduate-level courses in applied linguistics, specializing in natural language processing and computational linguistics, two pillars of today’s large language models of AI. His lifelong interests in language, technology, and genealogy provide him with a unique vantage point at the intersection of these domains and prepare him to explain the use of this technology to others. 

“I am extremely honored and grateful to be named the inaugural AI program director of NGS,” Little said. “I hope to uphold the values, aspirations, and traditions of NGS while spearheading its entry into the promising world of artificial intelligence and ensuring it aligns with the standards of our genealogical practices.”

“AI has the potential to assist genealogists in their work if used carefully,” said McGhie. “We are confident that Steve will provide NGS leadership with advice and guidance as the tools for genealogical research evolve. Without question, he will be a great asset as we continue to develop educational programs on the applications and limitations of AI in genealogy and family history.”