Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and others have quickly and overwhelmingly infiltrated our jobs, life, and education. As it’s become a part of our everyday work, we’ve faced relentless new questions about its use. Will it kill creativity? Does it take the humanness out of my work? Will it actually save me time? How accurate is it? Is using AI a form of plagiarism? When is it ethical to use—and when isn’t it?
Each of these are all critical and difficult questions I’ve wrestled with myself. As an educator, I’ve definitely struggled balancing how to prevent students from using it in ways that prevent learning (and feel like plagiarizing) while also teaching them how to use it well—since there’s no question they’ll be using it in their work, education, and life.
As it becomes an integral part of how we operate as people in technology-centric societies, it’s important we’re asking the right questions about how—and when—we should be using (and not using) it. To help with that, I’ve identified (through trial and error, professional experience, research, and…creative assistance of artificial intelligence!) seven key questions we should ask ourselves. Designed into a decision tree, you can follow these questions and their related subquestions to determine if the project you, your students, or employees are working on should include the use of artificial intelligence.
If at any point you cannot asnwer “YES” to the questions outlined, it will, in most cases be best to avoid using AI. But if you’re led through the graphic with affirmative answers, using AI will likely be a valuable and ethical resource. Enjoy the guide, and let me know what you think in the comments below!
Question 1: Do I Have a Clear Purpose?
Before using an AI tool, ask yourself why you want to use it. Are you looking for brainstorming help, clearer wording, or quick background info? Or are you just hoping it will do the hard work for you? Using AI is most effective when you know exactly what role it will play.
Also ask yourself the following:
- Do I know which step of my work AI will support?
- Can I explain why I’m using AI if asked?
Question 2: Is It Allowed?
Most instructors, schools, workplaces, and industries have their own rules for AI use. Some encourage it, others ban it, and many fall somewhere in between. Don’t assume—check first. Being clear on the boundaries protects you from academic dishonesty or professional consequences.
Also ask yourself the following:
- Have I read the assignment, policy, or guidelines about AI use?
- Have I asked for clarification if I’m unsure?
Question 3: Will It Support, Not Replace Learning?
AI can be a powerful study buddy, creativity booster, or work assistant—but it should never take away your chance to grow. If it’s doing all the thinking for you or preventing you from integrating your own ideas, that’s a red flag. The goal is for AI to support your learning or skill-building, not steal it.
Also ask yourself the following:
- Will I still practice the skills this task is designed to teach?
- Can I explain the outcomes of the work without relying on AI?
Question 4: Can I Ensure It’s Accurate?
AI often sounds confident even when it’s wrong. That means you can’t just trust what it gives you—you have to check. Facts, quotes, stats, names, and sources should all be verified before you use them. AI should be understood as a draft tool, not a truth machine.
Also ask yourself the following:
- Can I fact-check this with credible sources or my own knowledge?
- Will I catch mistakes before sharing the final work?
Question 5: Am I Being Ethical?
Using AI responsibly means being honest, fair, and respectful. Passing off AI’s work as your own, spreading misinformation, or uploading private data are all problematic. Ask yourself if you’d feel comfortable showing your AI use to a teacher, boss, or client.
Also ask yourself the following:
- Am I giving credit if credit is due?
- Am I avoiding private, sensitive, or confidential info?
- Could this use of AI hurt or misrepresent anyone?
Question 6: Does It Provide Real Value?
AI should make your work better, not just faster. If it doesn’t save meaningful time, improve quality, or give you insights you couldn’t have gotten otherwise, then it’s just noise. Value comes when AI clearly adds something worthwhile to your process.
Also ask yourself the following:
- Will it reduce my workload without creating more rework?
- Does it make my work clearer, stronger, or more polished?
- Is AI the best tool for this task?
Question 7: Will I Own the Outcome?
Even if AI lends a hand, the final product has your name on it. That means you need to stand behind it, defend it if asked, and accept any consequences if something goes wrong. Responsibility can’t be outsourced.
Also ask yourself the following:
- Can I stand by the work as if I did it all myself?
- Am I ready to explain how I used AI if questioned?
- Will I accept responsibility for mistakes or misuse?
Conclusion (and how I used AI for this post!)
Without question, the way we use AI will continue to evolve. Even as I write this post, I can’t help but feel that we’ve barely touched the surface for how it will be integrated into our lives. Still, these questions outline a useful framework that should serve us well into the future.
So how did I use AI to help me with this post? For those of you who know my work, you know I love creating infographics. I’ve created similar graphics in the past (before AI was being used) called “Did I Plagiarize?,” “Can I Use that Picture?,” and “Did I Correctly Cite My Sources?” So, in many ways, the infographic I produced was simply an evolution of previous work.
But ChatGPT was tremendously helpful to me as I brainstormed questions and follow-up questions for the graphic. I had to revise several of the outputs and I had AI regenerate versions of questions multiple times before I arrived at a point where I felt the content was accurate and useful. I manually edited the text, so what you’re seeing in the words now is a mixture of Curtis and ChatGPT. As for the visual infographic, I envisioned and designed it on my own (at the time of writing this, AI tools are pretty bad at creating infographics, thus requiring a human designer to work through the communication challenges). The robot and icon graphics were downloaded from Freepik.com, where I have a subscription to use and modify images, icons, vectors, and AI-generated visuals.
