AI Isn’t Cheating—It’s Just the New Google (And That’s a Good Thing)

Ever Googled something and wondered, “Is this cheating?” Or used ChatGPT and felt a pang of guilt? You’re not alone.

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“Every new technology is called cheating—right until everyone uses it.”

— A future teacher, probably

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My first real interaction with AI was ChatGPT. Before this, AI was simply a sophisticated machine in my mind, stuffed by engineers with trillions of bytes from the internet—images, audio, videos, text—and nothing more. But slowly, I realized it was far beyond that; it was a machine capable of learning and predicting things on its own.

When I heard about ChatGPT, as a tech enthusiast, I couldn't resist trying it. I asked a simple study-related question, the same one I'd normally ask Google. Google responded with links, articles, and videos, while ChatGPT neatly summarized everything into a concise text. Initially, it felt lacking—I still needed visuals to fully grasp the topic. At first, it just seemed like a glorified summary tool.

But things quickly changed when I saw people using AI for real, practical projects. That excitement led me to discover how to properly prompt AI. And that's when I experienced the true power of AI. It gave me summarized, precise information that would otherwise take an hour of digging through Google. This felt like some superpower—or perhaps even cheating—since anyone could use it to quickly generate ideas for college projects or other tasks.

One memorable moment came when I got stuck in a coding problem. Habitually, I turned to Google, spent ages clicking through links, and still couldn't find a working solution. In frustration, I gave the whole problem to ChatGPT. Within seconds, it provided a corrected, functioning code snippet. My mind was blown. Previously, online communities were my go-to for coding help, spending hours reading others' similar issues. Now, AI solved those issues almost instantly.

It made me reflect: before Google existed, our knowledge depended entirely on memory. School drilled facts into our brains, teaching us to remember information. Books were essential. Then Google appeared, and at first, people resisted it—calling it cheating because we no longer needed to remember. Book sales declined as the internet provided free alternatives, and YouTube replaced traditional learning with easy-to-understand videos.

History is repeating itself with AI. Schools, still obsessed with memorizing facts rather than practical application, naturally dislike AI. People resistant to change still cling to newspapers and reject this technology. They struggle to accept that what they spent years mastering can now be achieved by simply pressing a few keys.

Even loyal Google users, myself included, initially resist AI. But Google's own evolution into AI shows that we must adapt, unlearn old habits, and embrace AI's summarized, human-like responses. Yes, it feels like cheating. Someone using Google might spend hours finding content, whereas an AI user does it better and faster in mere seconds. Yet, it's not cheating—it's progress.

AI has even helped me overcome mental blocks. When I'm creatively stuck or demotivated, AI tools provide the spark. Once, when designing my portfolio, I needed minimalist animations. Previously, I’d spend hours watching tutorials. Now, AI instantly recommends styles and integration methods, saving substantial time. Initially, I thought AI copied or stole data, but the truth is that data is openly available to everyone.

A common misconception about AI is labeling its use as cheating, especially in education. People see AI summarizing lifelong learnings in seconds and get uncomfortable. But it’s about productivity, not cheating. Instead of slogging through 100 pages of mixed-value content, AI quickly highlights the essentials, letting you focus on practical application.

For example, someone might spend 10-20 years mastering coding. Now, a newcomer with AI can reach the same expertise in just two years. Naturally, experienced coders might feel threatened, but that's progress, not cheating. AI handles repetitive tasks, letting us concentrate on creativity and innovation.

Initially, I feared relying too heavily on AI would result in losing essential skills, like letter writing. But soon I realized my role wasn't diminished. While AI drafts a beautiful letter, the core ideas, tone, and purpose still come from me. It's like driving a car—the vehicle operates automatically, but steering, braking, and gear shifting are still my responsibilities.

Initially, I believed AI would make us lazy, automating everything from coding to reading books. But as I engaged deeper, I understood AI shifts our focus rather than replacing our skills. It handles basic tasks, enabling us to think deeper and become more productive. If you can't properly prompt AI, just like operating a car, you'll get nowhere. Coordination matters.

I've used AI to understand tools like Figma quickly, saving energy and time. When people accuse AI of cheating, I ask: Is using a calculator cheating? Is writing on a computer instead of handwriting cheating? Using electricity to study at night, is that cheating? Of course not—we're using the innovations built by previous generations. AI is simply our generation's innovation.

Recently, I built this website. Without AI, despite my basic coding knowledge, it would have been impossible. By combining my brainpower with AI's capabilities, I created something genuinely good.

I doubt AI will entirely replace search engines—they'll coexist. Just like electric vehicles don't entirely replace petrol cars, each has its place. AI automates tasks, but deeper human insights, addresses, detailed personal stories—these still need search engines.

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“When calculators appeared, teachers called it cheating.
When Google appeared, they called it cheating.
But in the end, we all just get better at using our tools.”

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My optimistic vision is that AI will revolutionize efficiency in governments, businesses, and education, much like the internet or Apple’s entry into tech. Embracing AI means doing things better, faster, and smarter, with human brains freed up for creativity.

In short, AI isn't cheating—it's the new Google, and that's a wonderful thing. Embrace it, drive it, and steer your future toward innovation.