Family tree and genealogy research
Users report bots that search public records, read old handwritten documents, and build out a family tree. Check every link against the record it cites, and keep living relatives' details private.
Last verified: Oct 17, 2026
The problem
Genealogy research means weeks of searching records, many of them handwritten or in other languages.
How the bot does it
Users report:
- @kylekellyj used his bot to review his ancestry and build a family tree. He says it used computer use to sign up for free trials of genealogy services to add to what it found in public indexes. He calls it the best tree any service has made for him. Free trials can turn into charges, so have it ask first.
- @qwerty01944 says his bot added four previously unknown ancestors and 100 years of history to his tree, and praises how it read handwritten documents and cross-checked them.
- One user says building a 1,500-person tree used up all his usage, so start small.
Check every link against the record it cites. Privacy: living relatives' names, birth dates, and addresses are personal information. Keep them out of anything public, and ask before sharing them.
Setup steps
- 1Give the bot the names, dates, and places you already know.
- 2Ask it to cite the record behind every link and mark guesses.
- 3Start with a few generations to keep usage down.
- 4Tell it: keep living relatives' details private. Stop and ask me before signing up for any service or paying.
Example prompt
Help me build my family tree starting from [names, dates, places]. Search public indexes and records, and cite the record behind every link. Mark anything uncertain. Keep living relatives' details private and out of any public site. Stop and ask me before signing up for any service or paying.
The result
A sourced family tree you can check record by record. These are users' own accounts, and results depend on what records exist.
Results are the user's own claim. We haven't checked them.
Templates on this page
Sources
Want new ones in your inbox?
Pick what you're into. We'll send the best new prompts and templates, plus the weekly robot show.
Related prompts
Build an interactive history simulation
From Elon Musk: "Grok @Bot can make a sim of anything." He was sharing a Battle of Cannae simulation made with a bot. Ask for one as a small web page you can click through, and check the facts.
Build an interactive simulation of [historical event] as a simple web page I can click through step by step. Label each stage, add a short note on what happened, and list your sources so I can check the facts. Change nothing else.
Order your usual coffee ahead from the car
Users report asking their bot from the car to order their usual drink so it's ready when they arrive. It needs the shop's online ordering and a saved payment method. From xAI: the Grok Voice 3.0 post says Tesla drivers can use Grok Bot for bigger tasks like "ordering a coffee or booking dinner", hands-free. It needs a Tesla with Grok and Grok Bot access; the post gives no setup steps.
Order my usual [drink] from [coffee shop] at [location] for pickup in about [minutes]. Show me the order and total first. Stop and ask me before paying.
Dictate room measurements and get a 3D model of your house
One user reports dictating room measurements to his bot in voice mode and getting a 3D model of his house back. The official help page confirms voice mode, not the 3D model.
I'm going to read you room measurements. Write them down room by room, then build a simple 3D model of the house I can rotate in a browser. List anything that doesn't add up. Change nothing else.