Getting your directions from Google Maps might make you seem more knowledgeable about a city's geography than you actually are.

However, what does it mean to say that's deceptive? It means you care more about social signalling than you do about arriving at the right destination on time. Showing that you're not the sort of person who gets lost isn't really the primary reason people use Google Maps. When it's not a test of your navigation skills, it's not cheating.

Similarly, doing Google searches before posting might be "deceptive" in that it makes you seem more knowledgeable than you are, but on the whole I would prefer more knowledgeable posts, so the social signalling seems like a secondary consideration.

Similarly for using AI. Sometimes it's just a way to get more information.