How do I cite an AI-generated image in Harvard?

To cite an AI-generated image in Harvard (Cite Them Right), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What does the in-text citation look like for an AI-generated image in Harvard?

In Harvard, the in-text citation for the example above is (OpenAI DALL-E 3, 2024)

How to Cite an AI-Generated Image in Harvard (Cite Them Right)

Learn how to cite images made with DALL·E, Midjourney, Gemini, and other AI tools in Harvard format (Cite Them Right). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

Harvard Reference List Format

Here is the standard Harvard format for citing an AI-generated image in your reference list:

AI Company Tool (Year) Brief description of the image [Digital art]. Available at: share URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).

Harvard Example for an AI-Generated Image

A complete Harvard reference for an AI-generated image, written by hand and checked against the official Harvard guidance for this source:

OpenAI DALL-E 3 (2024) Two people standing on a beach looking at the ocean, expressionist style [Digital art]. Available at: https://chatgpt.com/share/66f1c3a3-3f90-8000-9750-82c57c4a6592 (Accessed: 18 October 2026).

Matching in-text citation: Figure 1. Two people standing on a beach looking at the ocean, generated by DALL-E 3 (OpenAI DALL-E 3, 2024).

Harvard In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

(OpenAI DALL-E 3, 2024)

Narrative

The image generated by OpenAI DALL-E 3 (2024) shows two people on a beach in an expressionist style.

Key Harvard Formatting Rules

Cite Them Right references an AI image online in the format for its medium with the AI as creator, as in its Shutterstock AI (2023) … [Digital art] example.
An untitled generated image has no title of its own, so use a brief description drawn from your prompt; Cite Them Right sets no fixed wording for this.
If only you can see the image, Cite Them Right treats it as a personal communication: drop Available at: and give the day and month you generated it.
Cite the image in the figure caption and state the prompt in your text or an appendix.

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your AI-generated image.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Harvard (Cite Them Right) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Harvard requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples on this page are written by hand from the style's own published guidance and checked against it, because the general CSL styles do not encode this source's rules. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

Metadata to collect

the image tool and model, such as DALL-E 3, Midjourney V7, Gemini, or Adobe Firefly
the company that makes the tool
the exact prompt, including any later refinements
the date you generated the image
a public share or gallery link to the image, if one exists
the figure number you give the image in your paper

Common metadata traps

An image needs its credit next to it, in a figure note or caption, not only in a reference list at the end.
If you edited or combined the generated image with other material, say so in the caption (CMOS 18 §3.38 uses “adapted from”), because the figure is no longer the tool’s raw output.
Image tools are often inside other products (DALL-E in ChatGPT, Imagen in Gemini, Firefly in Photoshop), so name the model that actually made the image, and remember APA’s Part 2 post needs no reference for images made with AI built into everyday software such as Canva.

Editorial sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite an AI-generated image in Harvard?: To cite an AI-generated image in Harvard (Cite Them Right), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the Harvard format for an AI-generated image citation?: The Harvard format for an AI-generated image is: AI Company Tool (Year) Brief description of the image [Digital art]. Available at: share URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
What does the in-text citation look like for an AI-generated image in Harvard?: In Harvard, the in-text citation for the example above is (OpenAI DALL-E 3, 2024)