How do I cite generative AI?
Last Updated: Jul 02, 2025    Views: 2

If your instructor allows you to use AI in your paper, they may ask you to cite the generative AI you used.

While no official citation format has been published yet, guidelines and examples have been posted on both the APA blog and MLA blog, and are reproduced below. These can be used as general frameworks.

APA

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

MLA

“Describe the symbolism of the green light in the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald” prompt. ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 8 Mar. 2023, chat.openai.com/chat.

 

Note that while APA considers OpenAI to be the author, MLA treats this source as having no author and uses the prompt as the title.

If your instructor has not giving you permission to use generative AI in your paper, you should avoid doing so, as this will likely be considered plagiarism and cheating according to Cerro Coso's Academic Integrity statement.