This blog post was originally featured in the July 9th, 2025 newsletter found here: INBOX INSIGHTS, July 9, 2025: Is AI Use Cheating, Context Engineering
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Is AI Use Cheating When We Use Generative AI?
Last month, I was deep in the weeds developing our AI-Ready Marketing Strategy Kit – you know, the one we just released. I’d spent months researching, years developing frameworks, and weeks pulling together everything I know about building marketing strategies that actually work in an AI-driven world. The TRIPS framework, the 5Ps, the 6Cs – it was all swimming around in my head in various stages of completion.
I had all these pieces of expertise, but I was struggling to put them together in a way that felt coherent and actionable. And then I did something that made my stomach twist with guilt.
I opened Claude.
Not to create the frameworks for me (those came from decades of experience and research), but to help me organize my thoughts and see how all these pieces fit together into a logical flow. And you know what happened? I felt like I was cheating. Like I was somehow less of a professional because I used an AI tool to help me structure what I already knew.
Turns out I’m not alone in this feeling.
The Great AI Shame Spiral
When Chris and I recorded our podcast episode about generative AI this week, we also asked our Analytics for Marketers community about the stigmas they’re seeing around AI use. The responses? Chef’s kiss – and way more nuanced than I expected.
The Academic Hangover Chuck A. nailed something I hadn’t even considered: “Noticing some younger folks (especially graduated college within last 3 years) have negative associations with using at work after 4 years of college where there was a lot of negativity on AI (Eg, ‘Cheat with AI and you could get kicked out of school’).”
Oof. No wonder we’re all feeling guilty. An entire generation was literally taught that using AI = academic dishonesty.
The Pressure Cooker Problem But then there’s the flip side. Chalsea-Blaze pointed out: “One stigma I see is that if you’re not using generative AI, you’re falling behind or resisting progress. But I think there’s still a healthy space for skepticism and thoughtful adoption.”
And Stephanie S. added: “One stigma I see is if you don’t accept the company’s ChatGPT-plus invitation right away it’s perceived that you’re resistant to change.”
Wait, so we’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t?
Here’s What Actually Happened When I Built That Strategy Kit
When I used AI for that strategy kit, here’s what I didn’t do:
- Skip the research
- Let AI create the frameworks
- Avoid developing my own methodologies
- Stop thinking critically about the strategy components
Here’s what I actually did:
- Used deep research to better understand marketing strategy best practices
- Expanded the TRIPS, 5Ps, and 6Cs frameworks based on my expertise
- Identified gaps where additional strategic elements were needed
- Used AI to help me see how all these pieces connected logically
- Refined, tested, and validated every framework and process
The AI saved me time in seeing the big picture, not in building the expertise.
Turns out, that’s exactly how Joy S. uses it too: “I typically only (actively) use AI to reorganize my writing or thoughts when I need to see it differently, or when I don’t like what I’ve come up with and want a different presentation.”
The “Other Set of Eyes” Revelation
Lisa K. absolutely nailed it with this perspective: “In college, among my group of friends, we would all read and proofread each other’s work because you need more than one set of eyes. I work from home alone. AI is my other set of eyes.”
She also shared something that made me feel so much better about my own AI use: “And Claude has done a great job of rewriting my direct, American emails into a format appropriate for the culture of my Indonesian coworkers… I am still learning and will probably never fully grasp the nuances of Indonesian business culture, and I greatly appreciate the help.”
This is the reframe we all need: AI as a collaborator, not a replacement.
As Tony L. put it: “The biggest stigma I see is getting people to treat AI like a junior staffer. In my work with nonprofits, I’ve found AI is most effective when I approach it as a collaborator, someone who needs context and direction to get the job done right.”
The Real Problems We’re Not Talking About
While we’re all worried about whether we’re “cheating,” there are some bigger issues bubbling up:
The Solution-in-Search-of-a-Problem Issue: Todd B. hit this one hard: “It’s often a solution in search of a problem.” And honestly? He’s not wrong. Not every task needs AI intervention.
The Environmental Concern: Joy S. brought up something I hadn’t considered enough: “I have a real problem with its impact on the planet, so I feel that it is used waaaaay more broadly than it needs to be.”
The Job Security Reality: Tony L. observed: “In smaller nonprofits, there’s real anxiety about job security. For many, the hesitation isn’t just about workflow changes, it’s about wondering if AI makes their work less unique or even obsolete.”
And Todd B. delivered the gut punch: “The challenge will be that, given the choice between doing your job better and doing a worse job at a lower cost, businesses will often choose the latter.”
Here’s My Mind Shift for AI Use
Instead of asking “Am I cheating?” let’s start asking these questions:
- Am I still the expert in the room? If you’re using your knowledge to guide, validate, and improve the AI output, you’re not cheating.
- Am I solving a real problem? Using AI to reorganize thoughts or format content? Great. Using it just because it exists? Maybe not.
- Would I stake my reputation on this output? If you’re comfortable putting your name on it after review and refinement, you’re probably using AI appropriately.
- Am I being honest about the value exchange? AI helps with process efficiency, but the strategic thinking and expertise are still yours.
What I’m Doing Differently Now
- I’m using AI for the organizational stuff – seeing connections, structuring complex ideas, reformatting
- I’m keeping the strategic thinking – framework development, methodology creation, real-world applications
- I’m being selective – not every task needs AI; sometimes the manual process is actually better
- I’m setting boundaries – AI helps with process, but doesn’t replace my professional judgment
It boils down to this. I’m using generative AI to cover my blindspots. We could all use that kind of support, right?
Because honestly? We’ve got bigger problems to solve than feeling bad about using tools that make us more efficient when used thoughtfully. Let’s focus that energy on doing better work instead.
P.S. – Yes, I used AI to help organize some of the thoughts in this post. And no, I don’t feel guilty about it anymore. But I also didn’t use it for everything. Progress.
What stigmas are you seeing or feeling around AI use? Reply to this email or join our free Slack group, Analytics for Marketers.
– Katie Robbert, CEO
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This blog post absolutely resonates—sharing the moment of doubt before realizing AI can actually be a collaborative tool rather than a shortcut brings such a refreshingly honest and human perspective to the AI conversation. Defining AI as a partner in organizing ideas—not an intellectual cheat—makes the whole discussion feel real, relatable, and deeply reassuring.