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Generative AI

When and What to Cite with GenAI

While some citation and referencing styles have published interim direction on how AI generated materials should be cited, many still do not have specific guidelines. In general, though, you should treat AI-generated materials as a non-recoverable source and/or akin to personal communication, and follow guidelines for how to cite those resource types with your chosen reference style.

Below are some suggestions on citing generative AI materials in some of the major citation styles. Please note that we have only included guidance on citing GenAI here, for a comprehensive citation information see the Citation Guide here.

As always, please be sure to check with your instructor if in doubt about when to cite AI and what style to use. 

Citing GenAI Materials

In a post from April 7, 2023, APA offers some guidance on citing AI-generated materials and AI software.

First, APA suggests ensuring you describe how you used the AI tool in your research in a method section or comparable section of your paper.

APA also suggests that given that AI generated content like chats are not created by a person, that they cannot be considered personal communication. Instead, treat the content as an algorithm's output, and credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and in-text citation.

You can also put the full text of long responses in an appendix or online supplemental materials.

Reference List

Author. (Year of the Version). Title of the Tool (Version if applicable) [Tool description if applicable]. Source/URL

Example:

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

In-Text Citation

For a direct quote or paraphrase, or to cite the tool, use the following format. Note: OpenAI is the author not ChatGPT.

(Author, Year)

Example:

(OpenAI, 2023)

The Chicago Manual of Style does not have official recommendations for reference generative AI, but does provide some guidance about citing AI generated materials in a Q&A. (as of June 2023).

Currently, Chicago treats the AI model as an author, and the format as a personal communication; therefore references to AI generated content are included in a footnote but not in a bibliography or reference list.

Bibliography or Reference List

Do not include.

Footnote Version

Note number. Originator of the communication and description of the prompt, date the text was generated, publisher, General URL

Example:

1. ChatGPT, response to "Create a haiku in the style of Edgar Allen Poe," June 16, 2023, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com/chat.

Author-Date Version

In an author-date version where parenthetical citations are used in text, any information not in the text would be placed in a parenthentical reference.

Example:

(ChatGPT, June 16, 2023).

The Council of Science Editors (CSE) recommends treating AI-generated content as personal communication. Personal communication advice is as follows:

  • Cite personal communication in-text only, NOT in the References section
  • Include a description of the content that was created or edited and the name of the language model or tool, version and extension numbers, and manufacturer

Example:

I wanted to see how it would respond to a prompt to "create a nonexistent dinosaur" (ChatGPT [OpenAI], response to question from author, 6 April 2023).

As of March 17, 2023, MLA has provided some guidance on citing generative AI, including ChatGPT and DALL-E.

In summary, MLA recommends

  • citing a generative AI tool whenever you incorporate any content created by it into your own work
  • acknowledging any uses of the tool in a note or other suitable location
  • vetting any secondary sources it cites
  • not treating the AI tool as an author

Works Cited Entry

The works cited entry for AI generated material should follow this format:

"Description of chat" prompt. Name of AI tool, version of AI tool, Company, Date of chat, URL.

Example:

"Write a haiku in the style of Edgar Allen Poe" prompt. ChatGPT, May 3 version, OpenAI, 19 June 2023, chat.openai.com/chat

In-Text Citation

For any quotes, paraphrases or references to the AI generated material, use the following format:

("Shortened description of chat")

Example:

("Write a haiku")

As with textual outputs, it is important to acknowledge how you have used generative AI in creating non-textual outputs such as images, music, figures, etc.

As of June 2023, only MLA and Chicago have released some guidelines on how to cite visual and other works generated by AI. See the links below for more information on citing images and other non-textual materials generated by AI, as well as guides created by UBC Library on citing non-textual materials generally.

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