Photographs have always been a genealogical challenge because, unlike more conventional sources such as vital records, they do not impart clear data. Most often we simply attach the picture to our trees and then leave it there. However in early 2019 I developed a new technique that shows how to use facial recognition via artificial intelligence / machine learning methods to identify unknown people in photographs using large libraries of passport-like images currently available online. With facial recognition,
genealogists can generate new clues with statistical probabilities from old photos that have never before been available. This presentation will be an elaboration and detailed demonstration of this technique previously published in the fall issue of Avotaynu [PDF copy of article is available if requested].
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