There I saw the google AI’s code and I looked at it and understood some of it.

Good for understanding some of it! Sounds like you've learned some things so far.

There were concepts there I looked up and were things I haven’t touched on yet but it all seemed like it was the perfect thing for what I had wanted to do.

The LLM showed you the possibilities of a different way to solve a problem. Sounds like you have some new keywords / concepts to go learn about.

Did I ruin it for myself? Should I continue making it or continue on with the lessons and find another small thing to do?

I would say that if you copied the LLM generated code into your project and didn't change it, then you are missing out on the opportunity to learn about that. If you instead used the generated output as a list of things to go learn more about (maybe they use an array of pointers or a template function or something that you haven't learned yet) and then take what you learn and write it yourself (without looking at the generated code), then it sounds like you learned some new stuff!

I just hated how I caved in like a fool. I know asking for help is good but this was beyond.

Think of LLMs like using a cheatcode in a single player videogame. It will expose you to new stuff that you haven't yet earned your way into, yet, but it may also help you see the game in a different way, or focus on learning specific skills without having to attend to other struggles.

For example -- In minecraft, you can always open up the console and set your gamemode to "creative". This gives you ever single block you ever need, limitlessly. Cool! This can be really helpful when you're trying to figure out how to design a cool redstone contraption, because now you don't have to worry about interrupting your process to go find more redstone, or about creepers blowing up your progress, etc. You can just create.

Another way to think about it -- you're literally learning a language, a way to speak to your computer. If you were trying to learn a spoken language, using an LLM is like having a translator (either human, or using an app). You aren't really learning anything, and you're entirely dependent on the quality of the translator, and trusting that it is saying what you want it to say. If you were a photographer on assignment in another country and just needed to know how to get to the photoshoot, this makes total sense; no need to learn the language here. If you're trying to actually learn the language, that means you are trying to become the translator.

You might feel like an impostor for using an LLM but the whole basis of being an impostor means you are pretending to be something you aren't to an audience. Are you the only audience? Then just be honest with yourself about what you're actually doing. If you use LLM generated code and are passing it off as your own to other people -- ok, that's acting like an impostor.

I've been coding since childhood and have worked with many different languages, including C++. Learning anything is an uphill. Some things are steeper uphills than others, but it's always going to challenge you because you are literally building new neural connections in your brain, and that takes effort.

If you want to ride the LLM cablecar up a part of the mountain, that's your prerogative, but you are missing out on learning opportunities to become stronger. I guarantee that the hill only gets steeper the further up you get, and you are going to want a strong body and good endurance when you get there. You can always go back down the mountain and practice those parts again to get stronger, even if you've previously taken the cablecar.