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Citing the Use of AI Tools

Using AI Tools in Assignments

Always ask your instructor whether AI tools are allowed for your assignment. Unless you are told it's ok, either assume it isn't or ask first.

Always verify information and sources generated by AI tools. AI tools generate false information (hallucinate) and make up or cite non-existent sources.

Using AI Tools in Research 

Publishers have their own guidelines about using, citing and disclosing the use of AI in research for publication. To find what guidelines you need to follow check the author submission guidelines, editorial board policies, or ask the journal editor.

Why Cite?

It needs to be clear which words and ideas are our own and which come from others. The way we do this is to cite properly. Claiming words, ideas, or AI generated content as our own without citing is plagiarism. 

How to Cite

APA Style

Basic Format

In your paper, describe how you used the tool, provide the prompt or question you used, and quote any text generated by the AI tool. Cite AI both in-text and in the list of references.

In-text Citation

  • Format:
    • (Creator of Tool, year)
  • Example (if citing ChatGPT):
    • (OpenAI, 2024)

Reference List

  • Format:
    • AI tool creator. (year). AI tool name in italics. (Month and day) [Large language model]. Url for AI tool with link
  • Example:

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More information on citing AI in APA style

Chicago Style Author-Date

Basic Format

Discuss your use of AI in your paper. To cite AI, use an in-text citation and cite as a Personal Communication. Do not include in your bibliography.

In-text Citation

  • Format:
    • (Correspondent's Full Name, medium if relevant, Month Day, Year)
  • Example:
    • (ChatGPT, response to question from author, June 8, 2025)

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Citing AI in Chicago Style: FAQ 

Chicago Style with Footnotes

Basic Format

Discuss your use of AI in your paper. To cite AI, use an in-text citation and cite as a Personal Communication. Do not include in your bibliography.

Full Footnotes

  • Format:
    • Number. Originator of the communication, medium, Day Month, Year.
  • Example:
    • 1 Text generated by ChatGPT, response to question from author, 8 June, 2023.

Shortened Notes

  • Format:
    • Number Correspondent's last name, medium
  • Example:
    • 1 ChatGPT, response to question from author

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Citing AI in Chicago Style: FAQ 

MLA Style

Basic format

  • Author: Leave out the author.
  • Title of source: The AI prompt you used, or a brief description of what was generated by the AI.
  • Title of container: The name of the AI tool.
  • Version: The version of the AI tool.
  • Publisher: The company who makes the AI tool.
  • Date: The date the content was generated.
  • Location: The URL for the content you generated, or the URL of the tool if this is not available.

In-text Citation

  • Format:
    • ("Short version of title of source")
  • Example:
    • ("Describe the symbolism")

Reference List

  • Format
    • "Prompt text" prompt. AI tool, version of tool, company that made the tool, date text was generated. URL.
  • Example

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MLA: citing generative AI

Canadian Legal Citation

Basic Format

  • Name of AI: The name of the AI used.
  • Version: The version of the AI used (e.g. ChatGPT 3.5).
  • Prompt: The prompt used, if applicable. If less than 25 words, give the exact wording in quotation marks. If longer, give a short summary without quotation marks.
  • Developer: The name of the AI developer or company.
  • Date: The date or dates the content was generated.
  • URL: The URL of the content, if available.
  • Additional prompts: Any followup questions or prompts used.
  • Availability: If the AI is not publicly available, say so and indicate how and to whom it is available (e.g. private version available at x company; paid personal subscription).

Full In-Text or Footnote

  • Format:
    • Name of AI, version if available. Prompt. (Translation of prompt if applicable.) (Developer: host if different than developer, date or date range of response). URL if conversation publicly saved (Description of any additional prompts.)
  • Example:
    • ChatGPT, 3.5. Response to “why do citations of united nations documents include meeting information as well as a document number? It seems redundant.” (OpenAI, 12 January 2024). https://chat.openai.com/share/a41ec2d3-0362-4282-b15b-71654fb5302b (Further prompts to request sources of information provided in response.)

Shortened Reference

  • Format:
    • Add the shortened citation in square brackets at the end of the citation the first time the source is cited. For subsequent citations use the shortened format.
    • Use the name of the AI. If the name is not a unique indicator, add a short version of the prompt.
  • Example:
    • First reference: Private LLM. Response to “What are Charter rights?” (Numen Technologies Limited: Personal iPhone, 7 August 2024). Private offline version (not updated by public upstream version as of 21 June 2024). (Further prompts re free speech and freedom of belief.) [Private LLM, “Charter rights”].
    • Subsequent references: Private LLM, “Charter rights”.

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Canadian Open Access Legal Citation Guide: Section 8 AI-Generated Material

Page Owner: Joanne Oud

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