Mary and the Leaky Faucet: Why Everyday People Need AI
Mary didn’t want to make the call. Her kitchen faucet was dripping again—that steady plink, plink, plink echoing through the house. She could have phoned her son, who had just been over the previous weekend to reset her Wi‑Fi router. She didn’t want to bother him with yet another “mom problem.”
So she tried something different.
She snapped a photo of the leaky faucet on her phone, opened ChatGPT, and uploaded the picture. “This is leaking — what should I do?”
Within seconds, ChatGPT responded in calm, plain language: “First, turn off the water valves under your sink. Then look for a tiny screw at the base of the handle. You’ll need a small Allen wrench or screwdriver to loosen it. I’ll guide you step by step.”
“What’s an Allen wrench? I don’t think I have one,” Mary typed back.
ChatGPT didn’t judge. It sent back an image of the little L‑shaped tool and explained that these hex keys are often included in flat‑pack furniture kits. It suggested she look in the kitchen junk drawer or tool box. Sure enough, there it was. She sent another photo, and ChatGPT replied, “Perfect—that’s the one. Loosen the screw and lift the handle off. Now you’ll see the cartridge inside—that’s what usually causes leaks. Let’s check it together.”
Back and forth they went—Mary sending photos, ChatGPT responding with simple instructions and encouraging words. In less than fifteen minutes, the dripping stopped. Silence. Sweet, glorious silence.
“I’ve never fixed anything in my life,” Mary laughed, “and I just did it with AI. Who knew?”
Why Mary’s story matters
Mary’s story isn’t really about plumbing. It’s about what happens at the moment of hesitation—when we feel like we should know something, but we don’t. For decades we’ve relied on family, friends or frantic web searches to fill those gaps. AI changes that dynamic. It creates a patient, always‑available guide that can answer the “embarrassing” questions without judgment and walk us through something unfamiliar.
It’s easy to dismiss stories like Mary’s as cute anecdotes. But let’s zoom out.
In the 1960s, computers filled entire rooms, reserved for scientists and corporations. By the 1980s they sat on office desks. By the 2000s they were in our homes. And today they live in our pockets. At every stage there were “Marys”—ordinary people wondering if they were too late to catch up. Many delayed, thinking computers were “not for them,” only to discover that daily life eventually required those skills.
AI is on the same trajectory. Right now, it feels experimental, even playful: it writes songs, paints pictures and, yes, fixes faucets. Soon it will be embedded everywhere—in healthcare, banking, shopping, education and the services we depend on daily. The question isn’t whether you will use AI. The question is whether you’ll be comfortable enough to use it well when it matters.
Building everyday confidence
Mary’s faucet may seem like a small victory, but it represents something bigger: the moment when AI shifts from being “someone else’s technology” to being your tool. That’s the vision behind AI for Everyday People. Our workshops are designed to help people just like Mary—and just like you—take that first step with AI in a safe, hands‑on environment.
No jargon. No pressure. Just real‑world examples and practical guidance to make life a little easier.
Because one day soon we’ll look back on these early AI years the same way we look back on the first personal computers: as the moment ordinary people gained the confidence to step into a new future.
Have you had a “Mary moment” with technology—a time you weren’t sure you could do something but surprised yourself? Share your story in the comments below!
