Is using AI for homework cheating?
It depends on the work. AI is cheating when it replaces your thinking. It is fair when it speeds up tasks where the thinking is not the point.
The honest answer is that this is a school-by-school, teacher-by-teacher line. But a useful internal rule for any student is this: name the skill the assignment is supposed to build, and ask whether AI is short-circuiting that skill or supporting it.
If the assignment is a literature essay meant to develop your thinking, having AI write the essay defeats the point. But asking AI to summarise a passage you have just read, then writing your own response, is a sharper learning loop than struggling alone.
If the assignment is a maths problem meant to drill technique, having AI solve it removes the practice. But asking AI to explain where you went wrong on a problem you just attempted is more honest than copying an answer from a friend.
If the assignment is a research project, AI can absolutely help you find sources, frame your structure, and proofread. The thinking — the choices, the argument — has to stay yours.
The practical heuristic: if you would be uncomfortable showing your teacher exactly how you used the model, you have crossed the line. If you would be comfortable showing them, you are probably fine. Students who develop this self-honesty early end up far ahead.