College students frequently need to write papers that require citations. If you’re in a writing-intensive degree program, such as a language and communications program, you’ll need to become very familiar with different citation styles, such as the American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language Association (MLA) and Chicago styles.

Over time, these guidelines have evolved to accommodate societal changes, such as the mainstream usage of artificial intelligence. Students today who use AI tools must know how to cite AI. They must also know how to use them responsibly, ethically and in accordance with their school’s AI policy.

Explore why it’s essential to know how to cite AI in APA and other writing styles. Then, dive into the differences between the different citation styles and discover some common mistakes you should avoid.

Students who use AI will often need to cite it, although this isn’t necessary in every circumstance. If you’re using AI to brainstorm ideas or to check your grammar, then you usually would not need to cite the AI tool unless your school requires it. You do need to cite AI tools if you use them to source facts for your paper or if you use them for text or image generation.

Citing artificial intelligence technologies properly is important because the main purpose of going to college is to learn. Any research papers you submit should clearly identify your own original thought from AI-assisted content, as well as from traditional sources. Citing AI and other sources properly maintains academic integrity and preserves transparency in the education process.

Grand Canyon University is committed to preserving academic integrity in our learning community. We aim to instill skills that prepare students for the workplace. These skills include critical thinking, analytical reasoning and communication. It’s our position that while AI may be used by students, students are responsible for remaining active participants in their own education.

All GCU students must properly cite AI tools as they are used for content generation (including image generation) and information sourcing. Additionally, all GCU students must abide by any AI-related guidelines established by their instructors. Any failure to cite AI tools or misuse of AI tools may be treated as academic dishonesty.

Artificial intelligence is indeed considered a source when it is used in a substantive manner for a research paper or similar project. Some institutions may not require an AI citation when it is used only for checking grammar, brainstorming ideas or developing outlines. However, others will require a disclosure of the AI tools used and how they were used.

If students use artificial intelligence to generate content or information, they must know how to cite generative AI. In these situations, it’s essential to add a citation to the document in the citation style requested by the instructor.

APA style guidelines have been updated to reflect citations for AI chats. 

The author is the company that made the AI tool, and the date is when you created the chat. The title of the chat should be in italics, followed by "Generative AI chat" in brackets. The source is the name of the model. Lastly, add the URL of the chat.^{(See disclaimer 1)}

The APA style guidelines do not provide any specific in-text citation guidance for AI usage. Follow the APA guidelines for general in-text citations.

In MLA, the author is the prompt, rather than the company that made the AI tool. The title is a brief description of the generated content. The title of the container is the name of the AI tool, followed by the version of the tool, if applicable. The publisher is the company that made the tool.^{(See disclaimer 2)}

Follow the MLA’s guidance on in-text citations applicable to all types of works, using a shortened description of the prompt instead of the author’s name.

The Chicago style guidelines for citing artificial intelligence are fairly straightforward.

Note that the Chicago guidelines prefer the use of AI citations only when a publicly viewable link is available for the AI chat. Otherwise, Chicago recommends indicating that AI was used in a note or within the text itself, rather than in the list of citations.^{(See disclaimer 3)} However, you should defer to your instructor’s requirements for the class.

Chicago does not appear to have updated its recommendations for in-text citations to include AI usage. Follow the general recommendations for in-text citations in Chicago style.

Seeing some examples of citing AI can help ensure you use the proper formatting. 

Here is an example of APA:

OpenAI. (2026, June 10). Effects of communication skills on the success of job applicants [Generative AI chat]. ChatGPT. URL.

Note: Be sure to add the URL, rather than simply inserting the acronym.

Here is an example of MLA:

“Describe the symbolism used in ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald” prompt. ChatGPT, model GPT-4o, OpenAI, 10 June 2026, chatgpt.com.

Here is an example of Chicago:

Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, June 10, 2026, URL.

Your instructor may allow you to quote small excerpts of content generated by AI, or they may require that you paraphrase it. APA does not provide guidance on indicating quotes and paraphrasing,^{(See disclaimer 1 )}but you may wish to include a note about this in your paper’s introduction.

MLA style also does not require a specific indication of whether AI-generated content was quoted or paraphrased, as it instead requires the inclusion of the URL of the chat. Comparing the paper to the chat transcript will reveal whether direct quotes were used instead of paraphrasing.^{(See disclaimer 2)}

In Chicago style, you can indicate in a brief note at the end of the citation if you edited the AI-generated content or paraphrased it.^{(See disclaimer 3)}

There are some common mistakes students make when learning how to cite AI. First, when using AI tools to generate information that will then be used to write an essay or paper, it’s essential to bear in mind that artificial intelligence can “hallucinate” facts. It may assert authoritatively that something is true when it is, in fact, not true. Before using and citing AI in your paper, you must fact-check it against credible sources.

Additionally, avoid these mistakes:

• Failing to make a note of the version of the AI tool used
• Neglecting to write down the prompt used for the chat
• Including an AI citation that doesn’t have the necessary URL

The biggest mistake, however, is neglecting to adhere closely to your university’s and your instructor’s AI policies. If your university and/or instructor does not allow the use of any AI tools, then you cannot and should not use them.

Academic integrity is of paramount importance in your education. Excessive usage of AI or AI usage that violates university or instructor policies can hamper the educational process. Keep in mind that your purpose in going to college is to learn and to prepare for your career, and use AI (or not) accordingly.

Although the above examples can help guide your citations, always defer to the requirements established by your university and instructors, as these can vary.

No matter your academic interests or career goals, you can find a degree program that aligns with your needs at Grand Canyon University. We offer bachelor’s degree programs in numerous fields, including language and communications. Fill out the form on this page today to speak with a university counselor and find a degree program that’s right for you.