Citing Generative A.I.
How-to guide
Citing information gained from using a generative artificial intelligence tool
When using information learned through an Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) tool such as ChatGPT it is important to explain your search method and results in your paper as well as cite the source you have used in order not to plagiarize. Due to the inability replicate information in A.I., even when using the same prompt, APA recommends adding an appendix at the end of the paper that includes the full conversation between the user and the A.I.
The basic format for a reference page citation according to APA style:
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Author: The author of the model being used (i.e., OpenAI, Meta, Google)
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Date: The date is the year of the version you used
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Title: The name of the model used (i.e., ChatGPT, LLaMA, Claude). This will be in italics. The version number is included after the title in parentheses
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Brackets: Bracketed text should be used as descriptors to help the reader understand the type of source, examples: [large language model]
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URL: listed at the end of the citation. Should lead to the chat transcript used to create the text, or to the home page of the chat tool (if citing an AI in general)
Text A.I.
Basic Format:
A.I. Company Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of chat [description]. Tool Name/Model.
URL of the chat transcript
Example:
OpenAI. (2025, August 21). High school grammar concepts [Generative AI chat].
ChatGPT. https://chatgpt.com/share/68a77b60-0ee4-800c-9acc-cd3fd573c311
Parenthetical citation:
(A.I. Company Name, Date)
(OpenAI, 2023)
Narrative citation:
A.I. Company Name (Date)
Meta (2023)
More resources
For more information on Generative A.I. check out this SCF Library Guide.
Art A.I.
When using an A.I. generated image in a paper or presentation you need to credit the source used to create the image.
Basic Format:
A.I. Model Developer. (Year of Version). Title of model (Version)
[Description of A.I. model type]. URL
Stability.ai. (2023). Stable diffusion online (version XL)
[Latent text-to-image diffusion model]. https://stablediffusionweb.com/
Figure 1.
Manatees in the library
Note. Image generated using the prompt "Two manatees having tea inside of a magical library in the artstyle-expressionist" by Stability.ai, Stable diffusion online, 2023 (https://stablediffusionweb.com/#demo)
Parenthetical citation:
(A.I. Host Company, Date)
(Stablity.ai, 2023)
Narrative citation:
A.I. Host Company (Date)
Stability.ai (2023)