Why your old AI prompts aren’t working anymore (and how to fix them)
Gemini 3 and ChatGPT 5.1 are out. Learn why that matters and get three new prompts that work for newer AI models.
If you’ve been using AI for genealogy research, you’ve probably noticed something frustrating: prompts that worked beautifully a month ago now weird results. You’re not imagining it.
ChatGPT 5.1 (released November 13th and Gemini 3 (released November 18th are fundamentally different from earlier models.
They’re more powerful, yes—but they also require more precise instructions to deliver consistent results. Think of it like upgrading from a beginner researcher to an experienced one: the experienced researcher can handle complex tasks, but only if you explain exactly what you need.
The Problem with “Good Enough” Prompts
Most genealogists I work with have a collection of saved prompts—maybe copied from a webinar, adapted from a blog post, or cobbled together through trial and error. These prompts often start with phrases like “Help me analyze...” or “Can you transcribe...” and hope for the best. (And usually followed up with 10 more “chats” with the model to get the desired result.)
But ChatGPT 5.1 and Gemini 3 are powerful and can do major genealogy work in one prompt if you do it correctly. They follow instructions literally.
If your prompt is open-ended, you’ll get whatever AI considers to be “best”. If your prompt has conflicting goals, the AI will choose one randomly. If your prompt doesn’t specify an output format, you’ll get a different structure every time.
The good news? Once you understand how to structure prompts for these new models, they become incredibly helpful.
What Makes a Prompt Work with ChatGPT 5.1
Effective prompts for current AI models share three characteristics:
Clear role definition: Tell the AI exactly who it should act as—a genealogy researcher, a document analyst, a writing coach—so it knows what expertise to draw on.
Specific objectives: Define success in concrete terms. Instead of “help me understand this census record,” say “identify all household members, their relationships, occupations, and any discrepancies in ages or birthplaces.”
Explicit formats: Specify whether you want bullets, paragraphs, tables, or step-by-step instructions. The AI won’t choose the best format—you have to tell it which one you need.
This isn’t about making prompts longer. It’s about making them more precise. A well-structured 150-word prompt will outperform a rambling 500-word prompt every time.
How This Prompt Pack Helps
I’ve created three prompts specifically designed to help you work better with ChatGPT 5.1 and Gemini 3. Each one solves a different problem:
Prompt 1: Update Your Existing Prompts
This prompt takes any genealogy prompt you’re currently using and rewrites it for ChatGPT 5.1 and Gemini 3. It analyzes what’s causing poor results—vague language, conflicting instructions, missing format specifications—and shows you exactly what to change and why.
You’ll get a side-by-side comparison: your original prompt, the rewritten version, and an explanation of why the new structure will work better. It’s like having a prompt engineering expert review your work and make specific recommendations.
Prompt 2: Build Reusable Workflows
If you find yourself doing the same genealogy task repeatedly—transcribing documents, analyzing census records, outlining ancestor stories—this prompt turns that task into a reusable workflow.
It asks you simple questions about what you need, then creates a custom prompt template with placeholders you can fill in each time. No more starting from scratch. No more remembering which instructions produced good results last time. Just plug in your new information and go.
Prompt 3: Create Custom Research Modes
This prompt sets up three specialized “modes” you can trigger instantly throughout a chat session: ANALYZE: for document examination, TEACH: for learning new concepts, and EVALUATE: for comparing evidence.
Instead of rewriting instructions every time your research needs change, you switch modes with a single word. The AI remembers your specifications and applies them consistently throughout your entire research session.
Access the AI prompt pack here
Try Them This Week
Pick one prompt that’s been frustrating you lately—maybe it’s for transcription, or census analysis, or writing story outlines. Use Prompt 1 to rewrite it for ChatGPT 5.1 or Gemini 3 then test the results.
The difference will be immediately obvious. And once you see how much better AI responds to clear structure, you’ll never go back to “good enough” prompts again.
Know another family historian who’s frustrated with AI results? Share Chronicle Makers with them. When genealogists understand how to prompt effectively, everyone’s research gets better. Use the button below to share this newsletter.
Until next time - happy chronicling!
—Denyse
P.S. If you want to see and hear me talk about AI, you can watch videos on my YouTube channel.