how to cite AI tools in your paper (APA, MLA, Chicago)

More schools are requiring students to disclose AI tool usage, which means you need to know how to properly cite AI in your papers. Here’s the format for each major style guide.

APA 7th Edition

APA treats AI-generated text as a non-recoverable source. The format is:

In-text: (OpenAI, 2026)
Reference: OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT (May 2026 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com

Include the prompt you used in the text or in a supplemental file. APA recommends noting the specific version of the AI tool when possible.

MLA 9th Edition

MLA’s format is:

In-text: (“Describe the symbolism” ChatGPT)
Works Cited: “Describe the symbolism in The Great Gatsby” prompt. ChatGPT, version GPT-4o, OpenAI, 10 May 2026, chat.openai.com.

MLA includes the prompt as part of the citation, treating it like the title of the work.

Chicago/Turabian

Chicago recommends footnotes or endnotes:

Footnote: Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, May 10, 2026, https://chat.openai.com.
Chicago doesn’t include AI sources in the bibliography since the output can’t be retrieved by readers.

What to Disclose

Even if your school doesn’t require formal citations, many professors want a disclosure statement. Something like: “AI tools used in preparing this paper: ChatGPT was used for initial brainstorming of thesis arguments. All writing is my own.”

When Disclosure Saves You

If you’re transparent about how you used AI and it falls within your school’s allowed uses, you’re protected even if detection software flags something. Honesty is always the stronger position than trying to hide AI usage that’s actually allowed.

Pro Tip

Keep screenshots of your AI interactions (prompts and responses) in case a professor asks to see them. Some schools now require this as part of the assignment submission. It takes 10 seconds and could save you a major headache.