Unfortunately, it's becoming socially and culturally verboten not to use AI. Soon AI will be so ubiquitous that not using it will be as weird as not having an email address or a cellphone. AI will be one of those things you have to use to exist in modern society. And within the programming/tech sphere, this effect will be magnified significantly because AI isn't just a tool, it's practically a religion and an identity.

I agree with you that OP should just not use AI, and in a perfect world where AI was just a thing and not the nexus around which our entire technological civilization, culture and definition of humanity will be shaped, whether we like it or not, because Capitalism Über Alles, that would be an option. However if they want to remain employable and not be seen as a weird Luddite psychopath they'll have to choose how much of their soul to give over to the machine like the rest of us.