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ZDNET's key takeaways
- iFixIt has launched a new app with an AI repair chatbot.
- FixBot can walk you through repairing thousands of devices.
- The app is currently free, but this offer won't last forever.
The next time you need to repair something, you have a free AI chatbot that can talk you through things step by step. But you need to act quickly, because it won't be free forever.
Online repair resource iFixIt has announced a new app that makes finding and using repair guides on your phone a lot easier, something that's noteworthy on its own because the site hasn't had an app for a decade now. More significantly, the app features FixBot, an AI-powered chatbot that can guide you through fixing almost anything — clothes dryers, lawn mowers, vacuums, mobile phones, cars, and more.
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As IFixIt explains, it's like having access to a patient repair expert at any time. You can describe your problem by voice or text, and the chatbot will ask questions, narrow down the options, and then walk you through diagnosing and repairing the issue.
Since it's likely that your hands are occupied while working on your device, the chatbot has its own voice that reads instructions aloud, and you can respond with your voice as well.
One of the biggest advantages, iFixIt says, is that FixBot is trained on iFixit community repairs (it has more than 125,000 repair guides), so you know you're getting reliable information with less chance of AI hallucination.
According to the company, FixBot has access to millions of pages of documentation, including data sheets, service manuals, and specification tables for thousands of devices; it even cross-references part numbers against your specific model.
Giving FixBox a trial run
To test FixBot, I provided it with a couple of current problems I have.
First, my car has a headlight that's out. This is a relatively simple fix, one I've performed numerous times on my own, but I wanted to see what the chatbot had to say. When I provided FixBot with my make and model number, it identified the specific bulb number I needed and provided a guide on how to replace it. The bulb it recommended was correct, and the steps did look pretty true to the process I've done before.
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Second, my vacuum cleaner picked up a Lego brick from my son's room at some point, and it now makes a wildly loud noise every time I run the vacuum. I poked around the hoses and brushes, but couldn't see where anything was stuck. I gave FixBot the details and problem, and it recommended a few places where something might be stuck. The first option turned up nothing, but after removing a few plates and detaching a hose connection, I found the offending brick, and my vacuum is back to normal.
What FixBot can't do
iFixIt does admit that FixBot can't do everything. It is possible the AI might get something wrong, and the site doesn't have guides for everything, especially older appliances or niche products. But the chatbot does try to find similar models where the fix would be the same.
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iFixIt says it's launching FixBot free for everyone for a limited time. A free version with access limits is on the way, though, plus a paid tier that includes voice and document upload.
