The 5 biggest ChatGPT-5 updates genealogists need to know

Two new models, upgraded voice mode, and a better way to protect your research…here’s what’s new in ChatGPT-5 for family history.

When I logged into ChatGPT yesterday and saw “ChatGPT-5” at the top of my screen, I did what any curious family historian would do — I poked around until I’d tested every button I could find.

After 24 hours of hands-on use, I can tell you:

Some changes are obvious, others are hidden in the corners, and a few are surprisingly helpful for genealogy and family history work.

Here’s my short list of what to know right now.

1. Two models, two approaches

The confusing list of old GPT versions is gone. You now get just two choices:

• Flagship – quick answers, fast web look-ups, and light summaries

• Thinking – slower, but designed to dig a little deeper and explain itself

Switch between them anytime. I start in Flagship for quick facts, then jump to Thinking when I want more context — like comparing two historical sources. The Thinking mode takes double the time to “think” over the previous o3, but the output so far seems the same. The standard (Flagship) mode is easily twice as fast as 4o in responses which is delightful.

Neither model has the personality of the previous models, so anyone who was attached to their AI is going to go through a grieving process for sure.

2. Temporary chats are still here (and still brilliant)

When I need to fact-check a date, confirm a place name, or find one census sheet, I don’t want that conversation saved forever.

Temporary chat is perfect for those “one-and-done” look-ups, and it’s still in the menu. Faster than Google, no ads, and the chat disappears when you’re done.

3. New privacy controls worth using

Two small but important reminders:

• Export your data – You now get a full download of your chats. I do this monthly just in case.

  

• Clear your memories – If ChatGPT starts answering you in odd ways, check what it’s “remembering” about you under Saved Memories. Outdated info can be deleted with one click.

  

4. Voice mode & dictation for faster input

. ChatGPT will either:

• Transcribe your speech into the chat box by clicking the mic icon. (great for long, detailed prompts).

• Or open Voice Mode that types as you speak. ChatGPT will talk back to you in Voice Mode, similar to a conversation with it person.

I’ve already used it to record multiple pages of my handwritten research notes, which I transcribed and filled out further in the app.

5. Color option

And lastly, we finally have a way to personalize ChatGPT a bit with color options. Your chat bubble and send icon will be colorized. A fun touch!

ChatGPT-5, my honest verdict

For brainstorming, planning a project, or drafting a first story, ChatGPT-5 is still my go-to.

But for deep, document-heavy research, Perplexity wins — it finds PDFs, buried records, and obscure sources faster and with fewer distractions. It also has less emotional baggage than ChatGPT which is what I want in a research assistant.

For most genealogy researchers, if you only want to pay for one subscription, I recommend Perplexity over ChatGPT.

My current combo:

ChatGPT for ideas and writing + Perplexity for researching and verifying.

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Bottom line for genealogists

• Fewer models means less guesswork when starting a project.

• Temporary chats and export tools make it easier to control your data.

• Voice mode opens new ways to capture research and stories in the moment.

• Pick the right tool for the right job — ChatGPT for creating, Perplexity for unearthing.

Next week, I’ll share my exact prompting strategy for genealogy in ChatGPT-5, including how to get better results in Thinking mode without rewriting your question ten times. I’ll also a preview of my new Research Lab where you can practice applying AI to you research problems to get breakthroughs in your results.

Would love to hear what you think about the new ChatGPT. Hit reply and let me know!

—Denyse

P.S. If you want more posts like this (hands-on AI updates written for genealogists, not techies) you can get them straight to your email.