Generative AI

Generative AI is artificial intelligence that generates original content, such as text, images, and videos, in response to prompts. Prompts are what you input into the AI system to get specific results. This could be a simple question, a complex paragraph, or even sounds and pictures. Your prompt directly impacts the content that the AI generates. Some examples of generative AI tools commonly used in writing are ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot, Gemini, and Grammarly.

Content generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) software is an evolving field, and APA’s official advice is still being developed and debated. The following advice is interim advice given by the APA Style Experts, and is subject to change.

Citing AI Generated Content

If the AI tool used provides a unique URL and title for your chat, your reference list entry should consist of the following elements:

• Author – Use the creator of the AI as the author (e.g. OpenAI, Google, etc.)
• Date – Include the date the content was generated.
• Title – Use the name of the AI tool (e.g. ChatGPT, Gemini, Co-Pilot, etc.)
• Version – Name the version of the AI tool as best you can (3.5, etc.)
• Description – In brackets, state that it is a large language model, or another type of generative AI.
• URL: List the URL for your chat.

Guidelines for referencing AI-generated content in APA style:

• When you reference this content directly in your text, you should include an in-text citation, and an associated entry in your reference list.
• If you have used AI tools for some part of your research, you should describe that use in your introduction or methods section, and include the prompts that you used.

Practice Your Knowledge