Citations
How to cite ChatGPT in APA, MLA and Chicago.
By the EssayMate team · Updated November 4, 2026
If you quote or paraphrase text produced by ChatGPT or another AI tool, cite it, just as you would any other source. APA, MLA and Chicago have each published guidance, and their formats differ.
First, though, check whether your course allows AI at all, and whether it wants a citation, a disclosure statement, or both.
When to cite AI
- Cite when you quote, paraphrase or include anything an AI tool generated: text, an image, a table, code.
- Disclose how you used AI (for brainstorming, outlining or editing) when your instructor or institution asks, usually in a note or the methods section.
- Don't use AI as a source of facts. Chatbots can be wrong and can invent references; find the original source and cite that instead.
APA (7th edition)
APA treats the AI tool's maker as the author and the model as the work. Give the version you used, and describe your prompt in the text.
OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT (version used) [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com
In text: When asked to summarise the causes of the 2008 financial crisis, ChatGPT listed subprime lending first (OpenAI, 2026).
Replace "version used" with the model or version the tool shows, and the year with the year of that version. Quote the prompt in your text, and include the full exchange in an appendix if your instructor asks.
MLA (9th edition)
MLA doesn't treat the AI as an author. Describe the prompt as the title, then give the tool, version, company, date and location.
"Summarise the causes of the 2008 financial crisis" prompt. ChatGPT, version used, OpenAI, 4 Nov. 2026, chatgpt.com.
In text: ("Summarise the causes")
Chicago (17th and 18th editions)
Chicago recommends citing AI-generated text in a note, or in the text itself, rather than in the bibliography, because the conversation can't be retrieved by readers. In the author–date system, use the in-text form.
Note: 1. Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, November 4, 2026, https://chatgpt.com.
Author–date, in text: (ChatGPT, response to "Summarise the causes of the 2008 financial crisis," OpenAI, November 4, 2026)
Writing an AI disclosure statement
Many courses ask for a short statement of how you used AI, even when nothing it wrote appears in the essay. Put it where your instructor asks: often after the conclusion, in a footnote, or in a methods section. Be specific about the tool, what you used it for, and what you did yourself.
I used ChatGPT (OpenAI) to brainstorm possible counterarguments and to suggest a structure for the second section. I checked each suggestion against my sources, wrote all of the text myself, and did not use AI-generated wording in the essay. All sources cited were found and read by me.
Common mistakes
- Citing ChatGPT for a fact instead of finding and citing the original source.
- Listing references a chatbot suggested without checking they exist; invented references are common.
- Leaving out the version or date, so readers can't tell which model produced the text.
- Not quoting the prompt, which readers need to understand the output.
- Assuming citation makes any use acceptable: if your course bans AI-generated text, a citation doesn't change that.
Other AI tools
The same patterns work for Claude (Anthropic), Gemini (Google), Copilot (Microsoft) and others: replace the company, the tool's name, the version and the address. If your institution has its own guidance, follow it; many universities publish a template.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cite ChatGPT as a source in my essay?
You can cite it for what it generated, but it isn't a reliable source of facts: it can be wrong and can invent references. For facts and arguments, find and cite the original publications.
Do I need to cite ChatGPT if I only used it for ideas?
Usually no citation, but many courses ask you to disclose that use. Check your assignment's AI policy.
What year do I use in an APA citation of ChatGPT?
The year of the version of the model you used.
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