Not long after that conversation with my friend in hardware, my own washing machine decided to lock up mid-cycle. Door sealed, buttons frozen, just a repetitive beep-beep to let me know it wasn’t interested in my opinion. Normally, this is when you sigh, unplug it, plug it back in, and hope it resets. I tried that. Several times. No luck. The thing was stuck in what I later learned is called safe lock.

Then I remembered what my friend said about ChatGPT. How it had helped him interpret hardware logs and firmware errors. So I figured, why not? I asked ChatGPT how to access diagnostic mode for my specific washer model. Turns out there is such a thing. Hidden deep in every modern appliance is a secret world of service menus, test cycles, and technician codes. And if you can find the key sequence to unlock it, the machine will actually tell you what’s wrong.

Following the AI’s instructions, I used the main selector knob like a safe dial—twisting to specific positions in sequence. Lights blinked. The screen flashed. I was in. I ran the diagnostic and the machine reported two errors: 3E and 4C. I pasted those codes back into ChatGPT, and within seconds it explained that 3E meant a motor control fault and 4C indicated a water supply issue. Then it offered the exact reset sequence the manufacturer uses.

A few button presses later, the washer clicked, drained, and unlocked. Cycle complete. Problem solved. And for the first time, I understood what my appliance was trying to tell me. I didn’t just fix it—I translated it.

It felt strangely empowering. Like the first time you manage to skate without holding the rail. I didn’t know exactly what I was doing, but I knew enough. And that’s the power of these tools—they turn opaque systems into something you can work with. You don’t need a degree in electrical engineering. You just need curiosity, patience, and a willingness to ask.

What struck me wasn’t that I’d fixed a washing machine. It was that I’d participated in a new kind of dialogue with technology. The AI wasn’t just providing instructions; it was acting as interpreter between human and machine, bridging the gap between my frustration and the washer’s diagnostic language.

We often talk about AI as something distant or abstract, but moments like this make it very real. It’s not the replacement of expertise—it’s the democratization of it. It’s giving ordinary users the ability to engage with the systems around them in a deeper way.

So, yes, before you ask. I did try unplugging it first. You’re welcome.

Jorge Luis de la Torre. I put the C in GRC. I bring compliance to the table.