Do I have to cite ChatGPT?

Credit ChatGPT when you quote, paraphrase, or otherwise use its output, and disclose AI use as your instructor or publisher requires. Citation does not make prohibited AI use acceptable, so check the policy that applies to your work.

How do I cite ChatGPT in APA 7th edition?

For a retrievable shared chat, APA uses the company as author, the full date, the actual chat title, a bracketed description, the tool or model, and the public conversation URL. A model name is optional when it is not available. The in-text citation uses the company and year. Also describe how you used the response in your text, methods, or supplemental material.

How do I cite ChatGPT in MLA 9th edition?

MLA does not treat the AI tool as an author. Start the Works Cited entry with a description of the prompt, then give the tool, model or version, company, generation date, and a stable share URL when one is available.

How do I cite ChatGPT in Chicago style?

Chicago 18th edition normally credits AI-generated content in the text or in a footnote or endnote. Include the prompt in the note when it is not already clear from your text. AI output is usually omitted from the bibliography; use a publicly accessible conversation URL when available.

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ChatGPT & AI Citation Generator

Cite ChatGPT and other generative AI tools the way your style guide requires. This focused generator creates an APA 7 reference for a retrievable shared chat and its in-text citation, an MLA 9 Works Cited entry and in-text citation, or a Chicago 18 footnote or endnote. Each format handles prompts and retrievability differently.

Build Your AI Citation

Enter the AI tool, company, conversation title, prompt, date, URL, and model or version when available. Choose one of the three implemented formats below.

AI tool

Company or developer

Model or version (optional)

Add the exact model name when the tool shows one. APA uses that model name instead of the general tool name; MLA records it as the version element.

Date generated

Conversation title

Required for APA's retrievable-chat format. Use the actual title shown on the public shared conversation.

Prompt

Required for MLA and Chicago. Enter it without surrounding quotation marks; APA does not place the prompt in the reference.

Conversation or tool URL

Use a stable public share link for the APA chat reference. If none exists, MLA permits the tool's general URL instead. Chicago allows a note without a URL when readers cannot retrieve the chat.

Citation format

This focused form implements only these three AI-specific templates. It does not offer arbitrary CSL styles: MLA starts with the prompt, and Chicago returns a note rather than a bibliography entry.

ChatGPT Citation Examples

APA 7th editionReference list

OpenAI. (2024, September 23). Nature themes in Mansfield Park [Generative AI chat]. GPT-4o. https://chatgpt.com/share/example

In-text: (OpenAI, 2024)

MLA 9th editionWorks Cited

“Describe the theme of nature in Mansfield Park” prompt. ChatGPT, model GPT-4o, OpenAI, 23 Sept. 2024, chatgpt.com/share/example.

In-text: (“Describe the theme of nature in Mansfield Park”)

Chicago 18th editionFootnote — not the bibliography

ChatGPT (GPT-4o), response to “Describe the theme of nature in Mansfield Park,” OpenAI, September 23, 2024, https://chatgpt.com/share/example.

In-text: Cited in a numbered footnote

AI Citation Guides for These Formats

Each guide below explains the corresponding reference, Works Cited, or note format and its in-text treatment:

Cite ChatGPT in APA 7th Cite ChatGPT in MLA 9th Cite ChatGPT in Chicago 18th

How to Cite ChatGPT Step by Step

Record the prompt and output. AI conversations are ephemeral — copy your prompt and the response so you can reference them later or add them to an appendix.
Note the version and date. Models change often, so capture the model version and the date you generated the response.
Pick your style's format. APA cites the company (OpenAI) as author; MLA leads with your prompt; Chicago uses a note, not a bibliography entry.
Add the in-text citation. Use (OpenAI, Year) in APA, the prompt in MLA, or a numbered footnote in Chicago.

Need other AI tools or more detail?

Our full guide covers Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, DALL-E, and Midjourney and explains when the text-focused templates on this page do and do not apply.

Read the AI Citation Guide →Free Citation Generator (10,834 styles) →

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to cite ChatGPT?: Credit ChatGPT when you quote, paraphrase, or otherwise use its output, and disclose AI use as your instructor or publisher requires. Citation does not make prohibited AI use acceptable, so check the policy that applies to your work.
How do I cite ChatGPT in APA 7th edition?: For a retrievable shared chat, APA uses the company as author, the full date, the actual chat title, a bracketed description, the tool or model, and the public conversation URL. A model name is optional when it is not available. The in-text citation uses the company and year. Also describe how you used the response in your text, methods, or supplemental material.
How do I cite ChatGPT in MLA 9th edition?: MLA does not treat the AI tool as an author. Start the Works Cited entry with a description of the prompt, then give the tool, model or version, company, generation date, and a stable share URL when one is available.
How do I cite ChatGPT in Chicago style?: Chicago 18th edition normally credits AI-generated content in the text or in a footnote or endnote. Include the prompt in the note when it is not already clear from your text. AI output is usually omitted from the bibliography; use a publicly accessible conversation URL when available.
Can this form cite Claude, Gemini, or Copilot?: Yes, for text-generating chat tools that fit these APA, MLA, or Chicago templates. Enter that tool's company, conversation title, prompt, date, URL, and model or version when available. This focused form does not claim formats for generated images, code, or arbitrary citation styles.