Citing Generative Artificial Intelligence

You should cite the outputs of Generative AI Tools (GAITs) just as you would cite any other source used in an academic assignment. Failing to cite AI-generated content properly can lead to accusations of plagiarism, cheating, or academic dishonesty. To maintain ethical standards, it’s important to document how you used GAITs and provide citations for the content they generate. Below are the citation guidelines outlined by the Modern Language Association and the American Psychological Association for referencing sources.

MLA Citing

The Modern Language Association (MLA) provides a specific format for citing content generated by AI tools. Here are the recommendations for citing generative AI:

1. Author: It is not recommended to list the AI tool as the author.
2. Title of Source: Describe what was created with the AI tool in quotation marks, followed by the word “prompt.”
3. Title of Container: Provide the name of the AI tool.
4. Version: Provide the version of the AI tool you used, including any dates.
5. Publisher: Provide the company that created the AI tool.
6. Date: Indicate the date when the content was generated.
7. Location: Provide the URL of the AI tool.

Example Works Cited (MLA Style):

• Text Generation Example:
  “In 200 words, describe the symbolism of the green light in The Great Gatsby” follow-up prompt to list sources. ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 9 Mar. 2023, https://chat.openai.com/chat.
• Visual Work Generation Example:
  Fig. 1. “Pointillist painting of a sheep in a sunny field of blue flowers” prompt, Bing Image Creator DALL-E, version 2, OpenAI, 8 Mar. 2023, https://labs.openai.com/.

APA Citing

The American Psychological Association (APA) treats content generated by Generative AI as the output of an algorithm, rather than a personal communication. When citing AI-generated content, always identify the AI model in brackets after the version information.

1. Author: The company that made the AI tool.
2. Year: The year the content was generated.
3. Title/Model Name: Provide the name of the AI tool.
4. Version: Provide the version of the AI tool you used, including any dates.
5. URL: The URL of the AI tool.
6. Appendix: Consider including the full chat transcript or prompt in an appendix if required.

Example Works Cited (APA Style):

• Text Generation Example:
  OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat.
• Visual Work Generated Example:
  OpenAI. (2023). Bing Image Creator (DALL-E 2) [AI image generator]. https://labs.openai.com/.