AI Made Easy: Becoming Your Own Handyman (Sort Of)

Part 3 of our series on making AI a part of everyday life.

My washer stopped working the other day. No error message, no clear explanation. Just a machine that wasn’t doing its job anymore.

Years ago, this would have meant a phone call, a service appointment, and a wait. Instead, I opened the washing machine door, found the metal label with the model and serial numbers, and took a photo.

I opened ChatGPT, described the problem, and uploaded the photo. Then I asked my favorite question, “Why do you think is going on?”

Within moments, I had the exact model identified, a short list of the most likely culprits, and the specific part number I’d need if it turned out to be what I suspected. I also had links pointing me toward where that part is typically sold. I even got recommendations for where I could get the lowest price and the quickest delivery.

No guessing. No driving to three different stores holding a broken piece of plastic. Just a clear, specific answer, built from a single photo.

A Lamp, a Bulb, and a Question I Didn’t Know How to Ask

A little while later, I ran into a much smaller problem. A lamp in my living room stopped lighting up. I wasn’t sure whether the bulb itself was the issue, or whether the whole fixture had simply reached the end of its life.

I took a photo of the lamp and the built-in bulb assembly and asked ChatGPT to help me figure out what I was dealing with.

Just from the design and markings visible in the photo, ChatGPT was able to identify the manufacturer. It explained that this particular style of lamp used a bulb that was built into the fixture and could not be replaced. In other words, the entire lamp needed to be replaced. I was disappointed but glad to know that I shouldn’t waste any more time trying to figure it out.

That’s not something I would have known to search for on my own. I didn’t have the right vocabulary for it. I just had a photo and a question, and that turned out to be enough.

The Habit Behind Both Stories

Notice what these two examples have in common. In each case, I didn’t need to know the technical terms, the brand, or even exactly what was wrong. I just needed to show AI what I was looking at and describe the problem in my own words.

This is the same back-and-forth approach we’ve talked about throughout this series. Give it some context, a photo, a model number, a sound the machine is making. Ask your question. Then adjust based on what comes back, asking follow-up questions until you actually understand what you’re dealing with.

A few prompts worth keeping in your back pocket:

“Here’s a photo of the label on my [appliance]. Can you tell me the model and what parts commonly fail on this model?”

“My [appliance] is making a [specific sound] when it runs. What should I check myself, and what should I leave to a professional?”

“Here’s a photo of this [lamp/fixture/gadget]. Can you tell me what it is and whether this part is replaceable?”

Small Everyday Tech Problems, Too

This same approach works just as well for the smaller technology questions that tend to pile up. These are the tasks that you might otherwise put off for weeks because you’re not sure whom to ask.

I recently wanted to get photos from my phone to my computer without turning on full cloud syncing. I opened ChatGPT and typed in my request. It asked me for my phone model. Seconds later, it gave me clear step-by-step instructions with no jargon and no assumptions about what I already knew.

That’s really the theme of this entire article. You don’t need to become technical. You just need to know how to ask questions.

When “The Bank” or “The Government” Calls

While we’re on the subject of trust and technology, this feels like the right place to cover three scams that specifically target the kind of money and home matters we’ve been discussing here.

Bank and Government Impersonation Calls

Someone calls claiming to be from your bank’s fraud department, the IRS, or another agency, often with caller ID that looks completely real, a trick called “spoofing.” They tell you your account or identity has been compromised, then walk you through “fixing” it, usually by moving money into a new “safe” account, one that they control.

The Phantom Hacker Scam

This one has grown quickly. It usually starts with a pop-up warning that your computer has been hacked. A “technician” gets remote access to “fix” it, and while you’re on the phone, a second caller, posing as your bank or a government agency, convinces you your money isn’t safe there either, and walks you into a wire transfer or cash withdrawal to “protect” it.

Investment Schemes

These are often introduced by someone you’ve met, sometimes online, sometimes through a group you trust, promising unusually high, guaranteed returns. Real investments carry real risk. A guarantee of huge gains is the biggest red flag there is.

The pattern in all three of these schemes is the same: urgency, official-sounding language, and a request to move money somewhere you’ve never sent it before.

A prompt worth keeping in your back pocket, the same way we’ve used AI throughout this series:

“I got a call from someone claiming to be from [my bank/the IRS/Social Security] saying [what they said]. Does this match a known scam pattern? What should I check before doing anything?”

And the one habit that matters more than any prompt: hang up, and call the number on the back of your card or on the agency’s official website yourself. A legitimate caller will never object to you verifying independently. The same rule applies to that replacement part for your washer: stick to well-known retailers or the manufacturer’s own site, and pay by credit card rather than a wire transfer or gift card, so you have recourse if something goes wrong.

Coming Up Next

The final article in this series covers two things that might seem unrelated but actually go together well: what you should never share with AI, and how it can help with the biggest projects on your list, from planning a home renovation to organizing a family celebration.

I’ll also share a story about using AI to check out a potential romantic partner before ever agreeing to meet in person. It might be one of the most useful, and most surprising, things AI can do for you.

Want more? I put together a free guide, “10 Fun (and Safe!) Ways Seniors Are Already Using AI,” with 10 more everyday examples like these ones, plus a few extra scam-safety tips baked in. Grab your free copy at Easy AI for Seniors.

Let’s Start a Conversation:

Who do you call when you need an appliance checked out? Are there basic tasks that you ask AI to help you with? Have you encountered a scam that involves a government agency and how did you check out the caller?