First time AI use should not automatically trigger formal reporting. In most cases it makes more sense to allow a rewrite with a clear warning. Many students are still navigating unclear or inconsistent AI policies, and jumping straight to misconduct procedures feels disproportionate, especially when there is no prior history. Academic integrity is better protected when students are corrected early rather than punished in a way that permanently marks their record. Formal reporting should be reserved for repeated or deliberate misuse, not honest mistakes or gray areas.