Skip to Main Content
Library Home

How to Cite Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Do I need to cite content generated by artificial intelligence?

Yes. Whenever using information or ideas from any source, including AI, you need to include a citation. This allows readers to see and evaluate your information sources. 

Please note:

  • Representing content generated by artificial intelligence as your own is a violation of UWW's Academic Misconduct policy
  • Confirm that your instructor allows AI tools like ChatGPT to help complete your assignments

As of August 2024, the following are the recommendations from the major citation styles for citing  Artificial Intelligence tools such as ChatGPT. Since this technology is still under development, these recommendations are subject to change. 

Key Elements

  1. Prompt
  2. AI Tool
  3. Version
  4. AI Tool publisher
  5. Date accessed
  6. Tool URL (no http)

General format: Open quotes promt provided to artificial intelligence tool close quotes prompt period in Italics artificial intelligence tool non italics comma version period the word version comma artificial intelligence tool publisher comma date comma tool U R L. Example description Open quotes based on the novel comma what do blue eyes symbolize in Toni Morrison apostrophe s in italics The Bluest eye question mark non italics close quotes prompt period in italics ChatGPT non italics coma 13 Feb period version comma OpenAI comma 7 aug period 2023 comma chat period openai period com forward slash chat

Key Elements

  1. AI tool publisher
  2. Year: This is the year of the AI tool version you used, not the date the response was generated.
  3. AI tool title
  4. Version
  5. AI format: Use [Large language model]
  6. Tool URL (not the URL for the prompt)

See the APA Style Blog for additional guidance.

 

General format: AI tool publisher period open parenthesis publication year close parenthesis period in italics AI tool non italics open parenthesis version close parenthesis open bracket AI format close bracket period AI tool URL Example description: OpenAI period open parenthesis 2023 close parenthesis period in italics ChatGPT non italics open parenthesis Mar 14 version close parenthesis open bracket Large language model close bracket period https colon forward slash forward slash chat period openai period com forward slash chat

In-text Citation

Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)

Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

The in-text citations and references above are adapted from the reference template for software in Section 10.10 of the Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020, Chapter 10).

Examples in this guide are provided for footnote citations (N) and bibliography (B). If you cite one source multiple times, you may use shortened notes for citations after the first one -- see directions here.

 

Generative Artificial Intelligence when prompt is mentioned in the text

N: Cite AI text only in footnotes. Include the name of the tool, the tool publisher, date the text was generated, and the tool URL.

 

Generative Artificial Intelligence when prompt is not mentioned in the text

N: Cite AI text only in footnotes. Include the name of the tool, the prompt, the tool publisher, date the text was generated, and the tool URL.

See the Chicago Manual of Style Q&A for additional guidance.