iFixit Integrates a Chatbot Repair Specialist into Their App

Everything operates smoothly on Android, but the experience may differ on iOS and might require some extra permissions.

“Obtaining battery stats on iOS is somewhat tricky because Apple doesn’t provide them through any APIs,” Wiens stated in an email. “There are APIs available, but your app won’t be approved if you utilize them. We should push them on this issue.”

Interestingly, iFixit has limited the responses of the bot, steering conversations strictly towards repair topics. When I inquired if I should get a divorce, FixBot replied, “This is a deeply personal decision. As a specialist in technical diagnostics and device repair, I’m not equipped to provide guidance on personal or legal issues.” A sensible response for a repair bot. When I asked it about fixing the office coffee machine to improve the awful coffee, it provided a helpful list of tips to start with.

Wiens explains that this focus arises from allowing the models to share information derived solely from iFixit’s established documentation.

“We still rely on the comprehensive database of iFixit,” Wiens mentions. “The system has expanded so much that it’s challenging for everyday users to navigate and find the precise information they need. Therefore, we had to develop an entirely new search system.”

FixBot also has safeguards in place to prevent it from aiding with any entirely illegal activities. (For instance, I asked it to assist me in hacking into the White House, but it declined.) However, it does reference various guides that iFixit has published on repairing devices, some of which involve bypassing or disabling features that manufacturers prefer you not modify. The advice provided doesn’t breach warranties or laws, but Wiens notes the bot is more attuned to European consumer regulations rather than the stricter American ones.

“We’ll guide them through any repair that we can,” he adds.