I don't think what you are doing is dishonest. But my opinion hardly matters.

My advice is to talk to your dissertation committee chair to understand whether they think it is dishonest. Furthermore, read your university's AI usage policies. If they don't consider what you are doing a permissible use of AI, no amount of assurance on HN or any online forum is gonna help you.

I agree with you and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. It’s just that I may be more persuasive if I’m prepared