Most AI chat tools now offer an option to share generated chats by creating a unique URL and a title for each chat.
When this function is available, users can follow the template below.
Template
AI Company Name. (year, month day). Title of chat in italics [Description, such as Generative AI chat]. Tool Name/Model. URL of the chat
Example 1. ChatGPT
OpenAI. (2025, August 21). High school grammar concepts [Generative AI chat]. ChatGPT. https://chatgpt.com/share/68a77b60-0ee4-800c-9acc-cd3fd573c311
Example 2. Gemini
Google. (2025, May 22). High school grammar concepts overview [Generative AI chat]. Gemini 2.5 Flash. https://g.co/gemini/share/a1306ce12929
Notes:
Cite the general tool when:
Template
AI Company Name. (year). Tool Name/Model in Italics and Title Case [Description; e.g., Large language model]. URL of the tool
Example 1: ChatGPT
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com/
Example 2: Gemini
Google. (2025). Gemini 2.5 Flash [Large language model]. https://gemini.google.com
Notes:
If you are permitted to use AI in your paper, we recommend that you include the following:
Examples of in-text citations and corresponding reference list entries:
Remember, in-text citation formatting may change depending on a number of factors.
See Number of Authors, Publication Date, and Page/Paragraph Number or Heading for more information.
In addition to citing in-text and in the reference list, it is best practice to acknowledge the use of AI in your paper. In some cases, you may decide (or be asked) to attach the original output as an Appendix to your paper. Your instructor may provide detailed guidelines. If not, follow the suggestions below.
I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT-4 to help me find peer reviewed articles on on my research topic "the impact of cold water swimming." I entered the following prompt on January 25, 2025: "peer reviewed articles on cold water swimming." The output included titles, dates and links to articles. I then used this information to find the full-text of these, and similar, articles in the NIC Library databases.
As the example above does not reference specific information found in ChatGPT, it is sufficient to acknowledge the use of AI, but not include in-text citations and corresponding references list entries.
This presentation was prepared using several AI tools including ChatGPT-4, Gemini 2.0 flash, and Claude 3.7 sonnet.
Sometimes you may use several AI tools to write a paper or prepare a presentation. Provide acknowledgement and if necessary, in-text citations and references list entries (based on the examples in this guide, using the AI tool developer as the author).
In the introductory paragraph of your paper, you acknowledge the use of artificial intelligence:
I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT-4 to help brainstorm ideas and keywords for my essay on the benefits and challenges of using pet therapy in nursing homes. I entered the following prompts on January 25, 2025: "pet therapy and nursing homes." I have attached the original output as Appendix A in my assignment.
Later in your paper, you may include an in-text citation to a specific piece of information that was generated by ChatGPT-4. You then advise your reader that your research also included a literature review of academic articles.
"Pet therapy has been shown to offer numerous physical, emotional, and social benefits for elderly individuals in long-term care facilities" (OpenAI, 2025; see Appendix A for full transcript). To explore this topic more fully, an examination of the peer-reviewed literature reveals that . . . ." The remainder of your paper will now include in-text citations and reference list entries for the peer-reviewed literature.
In the example above, you acknowledge the general use of AI in your paper. And, because you refer to specific information that you found in ChatGPT-4, you provide an in-text citation and reference list entry.
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT-4 [Large multimodal model]. https://chat.openai.com