As GenAI is an evolving field, guidance varies regarding how to best acknowledge use of it. GenAI can be used in a variety of ways and it is important to remember that it is a tool and not an academic source! GenAI is generally not considered an "author", how we acknowledge our use of it can differ. However, it is important that we do acknowledge when and how we use it in order to maintain transparency about our own work. This includes directly quoted or paraphrased material produced by a GenAI tool as well as general use for tasks like editing, translating, structuring or creating content. If in doubt about how to cite your use of GenAI, include a note that specifies which tool you used and how you used it.

Below you will find examples of different ways to acknowledge or cite GenAI use, including a general statement of use and citation guidelines from specific referencing styles. It is possible to create a shareable URL when using some GenAI tools that will allow others to see the content of a chat session. If this is not available within the tool itself, there are browser plugins such as ShareGPT or A.I. Archives that can also generate shareable URLs. Where possible, these should be included in your acknowledgement of GenAI. If this isn't possible, ensure that you keep a record of your conversation (screenshots, etc.) that you can show if required.

Important: Always confirm with your instructor what is considered appropriate (authorised) use of GenAI in their course. This may vary from course to course and, in some cases, it may be expected that you do not use GenAI tools at all. If you cite your use of GenAI tools but are not authorised to use them for that particular task/assignment, this is still a considered a breach of academic integrity.

Statement of use
Harvard
MLA
APA
Chicago

Statement of use

In many cases, you may be asked to include a statement of your GenAI use with your assignment, detailing how a GenAI tool was used when completing it (potentially including prompts used). Remember to keep a record of your conversations with GenAI tools in case this is needed as part of your acknowledgement. Some tools save these conversations and you can link to them, but others do not store your conversation. In this case, you can take screenshots or copy your conversation into a document.

An example of how this can be structured is as follows:

I acknowledge the use of [insert AI system(s) and link] to [specific use of generative artificial intelligence].

The prompts used include [list of prompts].

The output from these prompts was used to [explain use].

Harvard

Please note that Harvard does not currently have specific guidelines for citing artificial intelligence applications. The below guidelines have been created to use specifically within UCC in the interim.

Format:

Author of AI model used. (Year of AI model used). Name of AI model used (Version of AI model used). Prompt: “Full prompt used”. URL of conversation or of AI model used (Accessed: Day Month Year).

Example:
OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (GPT-4o). Prompt: “How can I evaluate your output for bias?”. https://chatgpt.com/share/6793c291-936c-8009-a30a-76f0859cc34b (Accessed: 24 Jan. 2025).

If you cannot create a shareable URL to your conversation, ensure that you save a copy of the transcript of your chat (prompts and responses). You can do this by taking screenshots or saving the webpage file. You may need to show these to demonstrate what you did and did not incorporate from generative AI tools into your own work.

In-text citation:

OpenAI (2025)...

...(OpenAI 2025)

MLA

MLA style uses a template of core elements to create references and these can be adapted flexibly to reference GenAI. According to MLA syle, you should:

- Cite a GenAI tool when you paraphrase, quote or incorporate any content created by it into your own work
- Make a note of your use, or acknowledge it in your text or in a statement when you use a GenAI tool for functional purposes (i.e., editing, translating, structuring)

It is important to note that MLA does not recommend treating a GenAI tool as an author. Therefore, the reference begins with the "title" (i.e., description of what was generated by the tool, or prompt used).

Format:

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

Example:

"What is MLA style?" prompt. ChatGPT, GPT-4o, OpenAI, 27 Jan. 2025, https://chatgpt.com/share/6797740e-cc7c-8009-8963-25525d7e93ea.

In-text citation:

("What is MLA style?")

For longer prompts, you can shorten to the first 3 or so words for the in-text citation.

For more information, see How do I Cite Generative AI in MLA Style?

APA

APA style normally cites nonretrievable data or quotations, which the results of some chats with GenAI are, as personal communications. However, as there is no person communicating with you when you chat with GenAI, APA considers AI-generated content as sharing an algorithm's output and credits the author of the algorithm (i.e., the company that created the GenAI model). When using APA style, you should:

- Add an in-text citation and reference whenever you incorporate or refer to AI-generated content directly in your text
- Describe your use of a GenAI tool (including prompts) in your introduction or methods section if you have used it as part of your research, or include an appendix or supplemental materials to describe your functional use (i.e., editing, translating, structuring)

Format:

Author. (Date). Name of tool (Version of tool) [Large language model]. URL

Example:

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (GPT-4o) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

In-text citation:

OpenAI (2025)...

...(OpenAI, 2025)

For more information, see APA: How to Cite ChatGPT.

Chicago

Chicago differs from the other styles in that it requires you to include a footnote or parenthetical citation for AI-generated content but advises you not to include it in your reference list or bibliography unless you can provide a shareable link to your conversation. If you can't do this, Chicago style considers this to be like other nonretrievable data from personal communciations like email, text, or phone conversations.

When using Chicago style, the tool is considered the author of the content and the company that developed the tool is considered the publisher.

Format (footnote):

1. Author, Title, Publisher, Date, url for the tool.

Example (footnote):

If information on prompt has been included in your paper already: 1. Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, January 27, 2025, https://chat.openai.com/chat.

Including information on the prompt (not included in paper): 1. ChatGPT, response to "What is Chicago referencing style?," OpenAI, January 27, 2025, https://chat.openai.com/chat.

Format (reference list, when you have a shareable link):

Author. Response to "prompt". Publisher. Date. URL.

Example (reference list):

ChatGPT. Response to “What is Chicago referencing style?” OpenAI. January 27, 2025. https://chatgpt.com/share/6797b5ab-aba8-8009-961c-00007cf88c37.

In-text (if using author-date instead of notes):

Any information not in the text, would be put in parenthetical citation, i.e., (ChatGPT, January 27, 2023).

For more information, see The Chicago Manual of Style - FAQ on AI-generated Content.

The content in the GenAI Learning Hub is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0 license, except where otherwise noted. This license allows you to share or adapt the material for non-commercial purposes only, and with appropriate attribution to the original source.

Copyright © GenAI LEARN project team, University College Cork.