Hm good point. Okay, So if I may ask, What would be the more correct response imo.

Should they have searched it and kept the information to themselves? Or should they have done additional research after asking AI(like looking into its sources) and tried confirming it and actually listing us the sources of their discoveries and then disclose that they used AI.

I generally feel like they wanted to share the information but I mean :/ I'd be actually interested as to what you offer him to do actually if he was really curious and did search chatgpt.

I always feel like knowledge should be open and that just saying that knowledge out loud doesn't hurt but I do agree with your point too wholeheartedly so its nuanced imo.