Does AI Need to be Cited?
Yes! When using a source to generate ideas that are not your own, you must cite that source and this includes AI.
Why We Cite AI:
Whether you are using an artificial intelligence to brainstorm or get new idea, a citation is still needed as the new idea is not your own. Each piece of data from your use of AI requires an individual citation, even if it is not a direct quote.
Citing AI in APA Style
Company. (Year). AI Name (Version) [Descriptor]. URL
Example:
OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
Learn More on Citing in APA:
- How to cite ChatGPT, April 7 2023, APA Style blog post by Timothy McAdoo
Citing AI in MLA Style
"Description of Chat" Prompt. AI Tool, AI Tool Version, Date, URL
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"Describe the theme in To Kill a Mockingjay" prompt. ChatGPT, 3.5 version, 23 April 2024, chat.openai.com/chat.
Read More on AI in MLA Style Here:
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MLA Style Center - MLA Style Center blog post
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MLA-CCCC Joint Task Force on Writing and AI Working Paper- MLA-CCCC Joint Task Force on Writing and AI by Modern Language Association of America and Conference on College Composition and Communication, July 2023.
Citing AI in Chicago Style
Footnotes:
1Originator of the communication, medium, Day Month, Year.
Example:
1 OpenAI's ChatGPT AI language model, response to question from author, 7 February, 2023.
Short Version:
1 Correspondent's last name, medium
1 ChatGPT, response to prompt from author
Chicago Author-Date
Any information not included in the text is placed in the parenthetical reference.
(Correspondent's Full Name, medium if relevant, Month Day, Year)
Example:
(OpenAI's ChatGPT, response to prompt from author, February 22, 2023)
Read More on Citing AI on the Chicago Style Blog, Citation, Documentation of Sources
Copyright and AI
- Library Copyright Alliance Principles for Copyright and Artificial Intelligence - principles for copyright and AI, created by the Library Copyright Alliance (LCA), American Library Association (ALA), and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), July 10, 2023.
- Training Generative AI Models on Copyrighted Works Is Fair Use - Katherine Klosek, Director of Information Policy and Federal Relations, Association of Research Libraries (ARL), and Marjory S. Blumenthal, Senior Policy Fellow, American Library Association (ALA) Office of Public Policy and Advocacy, January 23, 2024
- Copyright Clearance Center, Intersection of Copyright and AI - a collection of resources by the CCC.