How to Cite ChatGPT and AI Tools: APA MLA Chicago 2026 Citation Templates

Why You Need Different Citation Formats for AI

Every major style guide has updated its rules for citing artificial intelligence. The updates came between 2023 and 2025, and the guidance varies significantly depending on whether you cited a specific chat session or the tool generally. This means you can’t use a one-size-fits-all citation — you need to know exactly which style you’re required to use.

The APA Style team published its definitive updated guidance in September 2025. The MLA Style Center released a revised guide in August 2025. The Chicago Manual of Style 18th edition (2024) addresses AI as well. Each style body has taken a different approach, and those differences are critical for students.

Here’s what that means in practice: APA treats AI as software, MLA treats the prompt as the title, and Chicago treats AI as personal communication. The formatting is completely different for each style. If you use the wrong format, your instructor may penalize you or your paper may face desk rejection.

You cite AI tools differently depending on the style guide your instructor or journal requires. Here’s the quick answer:

• APA Style: List the AI company (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google) as the author. Treat AI as software. Use bracketed descriptions like [Generative AI chat] or [Large language model].
• MLA Style: Put your prompt in quotation marks as the “title.” The AI tool is the “container.” Include the model version and full date.
• Chicago Style: Treat AI as personal communication. Put citations in footnotes only — never in the bibliography unless a shareable URL exists.

The single most important rule across all three styles: the AI company is the author, never the AI itself. AI cannot be listed as an author. Always include the company name.

How to Cite ChatGPT in APA Style

APA Style (7th edition) is the most widely used citation format in the social sciences, education, and many other disciplines. When citing AI tools, APA follows these rules:

Citing a Specific AI Chat (When Shareable)

If your AI tool provides a shareable link to the conversation, APA recommends citing that specific chat. This lets readers see exactly what was generated.

Reference format:

Company Name. (year, month day). _Title of chat_ [Generative AI chat]. Model name. URL

Examples for ChatGPT and Claude:

Anthropic. (2025, May 20). _Essential grammar topics for high school graduates_ [Generative AI chat]. Claude Sonnet 4. https://claude.ai/share/329173b2-ec93-4663-ac68-4f65ea4f166d

Google. (2025, May 22). _High school grammar concepts overview_ [Generative AI chat]. Gemini 2.5 Flash. https://g.co/gemini/share/a1306ce12929

OpenAI. (2025, August 21). _High school grammar concepts_ [Generative AI chat]. ChatGPT. https://chatgpt.com/share/68a77b60-0ee4-800c-9acc-cd3fd573c311

Citing an AI Tool Generally

When you use AI for editing, brainstorming, translation, or other general tasks — or when the tool doesn’t provide a shareable link — cite it as a general tool.

Reference format:

Company Name. (year). _Tool Name_ [Large language model]. URL

Examples:

Anthropic. (2025). _Claude 4 Sonnet_ [Large language model]. https://claude.ai/new

Google. (2025). _Gemini 2.5 Flash_ [Large language model]. https://gemini.google.com/

OpenAI. (2025). _ChatGPT_ [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com/

APA Citation Rules You Need to Know

1. Author is always the company, never the AI. AI cannot be an author because it is not a conscious human being.
2. Date includes year, month, and day for specific chats. For general tool citations, use only the year the tool was most recently updated.
3. Include the model name when available. Use “ChatGPT-4o” rather than just “ChatGPT” if you know the specific model.
4. Use bracketed descriptions like [Generative AI chat] or [Large language model] to clarify the source type.
5. Include a shareable URL when possible. This is now a core APA requirement for AI citations.

In-text citation examples:

• Parenthetical: (Anthropic, 2025)
• Narrative: Anthropic (2025)
• Methods-section disclosure: “I used Claude 3.7 Sonnet (Anthropic, 2025), a generative AI tool, to generate a list of grammar topics.”

How to Cite AI in MLA Style (9th Edition)

MLA style takes a very different approach from APA. Instead of treating the AI company as the author, MLA puts your prompt in quotation marks as the title and names the AI tool as the “container.”

MLA Format Structure

MLA Examples

Example 1: Paraphrasing AI-generated text

"Explain the causes of the French Revolution" prompt. _ChatGPT_, model GPT-4o, OpenAI, 18 June 2026, chat.openai.com.

Example 2: AI-generated creative text

"Write a short story about a robot learning to feel" prompt. _Claude_, model Sonnet 4, Anthropic, 22 June 2026, claude.ai/share/abc123.

Example 3: AI-generated figure caption

"Create an expressionist-style image of two people on a beach" prompt, DALL-E, version 3, OpenAI, 23 Sept 2024, chatgpt.com/share/66f1c3a3-3f90-8000-9750-82c57c4a6592.

Key MLA Rules

1. Do not treat the AI tool as the author. MLA follows publisher policies that do not allow AI to be listed as an author. The prompt text goes in the “Title of Source” position.
2. Include the specific model name. The 2025 update requires model names (e.g., GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet 4, Gemini 2.5 Flash) in the Version element.
3. Prioritize shareable URLs. If your AI tool provides a stable, shareable link, use that. Otherwise, use the general tool URL.
4. Cite secondary sources the AI found, not the AI itself. If ChatGPT summarizes a Britannica article, click through to the Britannica page and cite that directly instead of citing ChatGPT.
5. The prompt appears in your text too. MLA requires that the prompt appear in the prose itself, not just in the Works Cited. This is a key distinction students often miss.

In-text citation: ("Explain the causes of the French Revolution")

How to Cite AI in Chicago Style

Chicago Style (18th edition, 2024) approaches AI citation differently from both APA and MLA. The Chicago Manual of Style treats AI chats as personal communication rather than a published source. This means they go in footnotes or endnotes — never in the bibliography — unless a publicly available URL exists.

Chicago Footnote Format

Format:

¹ ChatGPT, response to "Explain mitochondrial ATP synthesis," OpenAI, 18 June 2026, chat.openai.com.

Alternative (Claude):

¹ Claude, response to "Summarize Keynes's theory of unemployment," Anthropic, 22 June 2026, claude.ai/share/def456.

Alternative (Gemini):

¹ Gemini, response to "Outline the causes of the Industrial Revolution," Google, 15 July 2026, g.co/gemini/share/ghi789.

Chicago Bibliography Format (When URL Exists)

If a stable, public URL is available, you may include a bibliography entry:

OpenAI. 2026. _ChatGPT_. Accessed July 18, 2026. https://chatgpt.com/share/...

Key Chicago Rules

1. Use Chicago Style 18th edition. Earlier editions do not address AI.
2. Prefer footnotes over bibliography entries. Chicago treats AI as a form of personal communication.
3. Include the date of access. This is important for verifying when the AI response was generated.
4. Include the URL when available. If the tool provides a shareable link, include it.
5. Describe AI editing in the text. If AI helped with editing or translation, note it in the footnote without a formal citation.

Side-by-Side Comparison: Same Citation in APA, MLA & Chicago

To help you see the differences clearly, here’s the exact same prompt cited in all three styles:

Prompt used: “Explain the causes of the French Revolution”

APA:

OpenAI. (2025, June 18). _Explain the causes of the French Revolution_ [Generative AI chat]. ChatGPT. https://chatgpt.com/share/...

MLA:

"Explain the causes of the French Revolution" prompt. _ChatGPT_, model GPT-4o, OpenAI, 18 June 2026, chatgpt.com/share/...

Chicago (footnote):

¹ ChatGPT, response to "Explain the causes of the French Revolution," OpenAI, 18 June 2026, chatgpt.com/share/...

Key differences to notice:

• APA puts the company first, treats it as author, uses the date format (year, month day), and adds a bracketed description.
• MLA puts the prompt first, italicizes the tool name, and requires the prompt to appear in the body text too.
• Chicago puts it as a footnote, uses the word “response,” and does not include it in the bibliography.

AI Citation Templates for Every Major Tool

Here are ready-to-copy citation templates for each of the four most common AI tools. Simply replace the bracketed text with your own details.

ChatGPT (OpenAI)

APA general citation:

OpenAI. (2025). _ChatGPT_ [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com/

APA specific chat:

OpenAI. (year, month day). _Chat title_ [Generative AI chat]. Model. URL

MLA Works Cited:

"Your prompt" prompt. _ChatGPT_, model GPT-4o, OpenAI, date, URL.

Chicago footnote:

¹ ChatGPT, response to "Your prompt," OpenAI, date, URL.

Claude (Anthropic)

APA general citation:

Anthropic. (2025). _Claude Sonnet 4_ [Large language model]. https://claude.ai/

MLA Works Cited:

"Your prompt" prompt. _Claude_, model Sonnet 4, Anthropic, date, URL.

Chicago footnote:

¹ Claude, response to "Your prompt," Anthropic, date, URL.

Gemini (Google)

APA general citation:

Google. (2025). _Gemini 2.5 Flash_ [Large language model]. https://gemini.google.com/

MLA Works Cited:

"Your prompt" prompt. _Gemini_, model 2.5 Flash, Google, date, URL.

Chicago footnote:

¹ Gemini, response to "Your prompt," Google, date, URL.

Perplexity AI

APA general citation:

Perplexity AI. (2025). _Perplexity_ [Large language model]. https://www.perplexity.ai/

MLA Works Cited:

"Your prompt" prompt. _Perplexity_, model, Perplexity AI, date, URL.

Chicago footnote:

¹ Perplexity AI, response to "Your prompt," Perplexity AI, date, URL.

Citation vs. Disclosure: When Do You Need Which?

Not every AI interaction requires a formal citation. The APA Style team draws a clear distinction between citing AI and disclosing AI use. Understanding this difference saves you from either over-citing or under-citing.

You Need a Full Citation When You Used AI To:

• Generate content you quoted or paraphrased
• Perform data analysis or interpretive writing
• Create tables, figures, or visualizations
• Translate text (if you used AI translation)
• Write code or scripts central to your paper

You May Only Need Disclosure (Not Citation) When You Used AI To:

• Check spelling and grammar (standard tools like Grammarly)
• Brainstorm ideas that don’t appear in the final paper
• Summarize sources you then read directly

As CiteDash explains, the three-tier classification is:

1. Verbatim use → Full citation required
2. Substantive shaping → Full citation + disclosure
3. Mechanical use (editing, formatting) → Disclosure only

Always check your instructor’s or journal’s policy. The default position at many universities is “disclose, don’t hide.”

Critical Warning: Verify Every AI-Cited Reference

Here’s a fact most students don’t know: 18 to 55% of AI-generated citations are completely fabricated.

A peer-reviewed study published in Scientific Reports found that approximately 55% of citations generated by GPT-3.5 and 18% of citations from GPT-4 were entirely fake — sources that don’t exist, authors who don’t exist, and journal titles that don’t exist.

This means you must verify every piece of content and every reference that AI produces. If you include a fabricated citation in your paper, it could be classified as academic misconduct. Even if you cited the AI correctly, the content it produced may still be wrong.

Before including AI-generated content:

1. Search for the claim in Google Scholar
2. Click through to the original source
3. Verify the quote, statistic, or reference actually exists
4. If it doesn’t, remove it and find a real source

Never use an AI-generated citation without verifying it against the original source. This is not optional — it’s a core requirement for academic integrity.

Common Mistakes Students Make When Citing AI

These errors appear frequently in student papers. Recognizing them helps you avoid penalties:

• Listing AI as the author. AI cannot legally or ethically be an author. APA, MLA, and Chicago all agree — list the developing company instead.
• Citing hallucinated AI references. AI frequently fabricates citations. Always verify every source the AI cites.
• Omitting the model version. Modern guidance requires the specific model name (GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet 4, Gemini 2.5 Flash).
• Omitting the shareable URL. APA and MLA now prefer stable URLs. Always include a chat URL if available.
• Citing the AI instead of the original source. If AI summarizes a real source, cite the source directly.
• Forgetting to disclose in the methods section. Transparency is required regardless of citation format.

Practical Checklist: Before You Submit

Use this checklist before submitting any paper that involved AI:

• [ ] Checked your instructor’s or journal’s AI policy
• [ ] Determined whether full citation or disclosure only is needed
• [ ] Used the citation format required by your style guide (APA, MLA, or Chicago)
• [ ] Listed the company name as author (not the AI itself)
• [ ] Included the model name (e.g., GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet 4)
• [ ] Included a shareable URL if available
• [ ] Verified every AI-generated claim against original sources
• [ ] Verified every citation the AI provided actually exists
• [ ] Confirmed your voice and analysis are predominantly your own

Summary

Citing AI tools requires following the specific format of your required style guide. APA treats the AI developer as the author and uses bracketed descriptions. MLA uses your prompt as the title and the tool as the container. Chicago treats AI as personal communication and puts it in footnotes only.

The single most important principle across all three styles: disclose, verify, and cite correctly. Never include an AI-generated citation without verifying it against the original source. The risk of fabricated references is real, and instructors expect you to catch those before submission.

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Related Guides

• How to Cite AI in Academic Writing: APA, MLA, Chicago Guide (ID 1351)
• How to Avoid Plagiarism: Definition, Examples & Detection Tools
• Citation Management Tools Comparison: Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote
• Best AI Tools for Academic Writing: Student Comparison Guide 2026
• How to Write a Research Question: Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Disclose AI Use in Academic Writing

FAQ

Can I cite AI in every type of paper?

Most instructors require AI citation when you used AI to generate substantive content. For minor tasks like grammar checking, disclosure may be sufficient. Always check your instructor’s policy.

What if my AI tool doesn’t provide a shareable URL?

If no shareable link exists, use the general tool URL (e.g., chat.openai.com). APA, MLA, and Chicago all accept general URLs when specific chat links are unavailable.

Should I cite AI if I used it for brainstorming?

If the brainstormed ideas don’t appear in your final paper, no citation is needed. If you use AI-generated content in the paper, cite it according to the style guide.

What’s the biggest mistake students make?

Listing AI as the author. AI cannot be an author under any style guide. Always list the developing company (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google) instead.

When did the current AI citation rules start?

APA first addressed AI citation in 2023 and updated the guidance in September 2025. MLA published revised guidance in August 2025. Chicago included AI guidance in the 18th edition (2024). All three current formats are considered stable through 2026.

What about AI-generated images and figures?

If you used AI to create images, charts, or figures for your paper, include a note in the figure caption. MLA adds it to the Works Cited entry. APA puts it as a figure note. Chicago treats it like any other figure attribution.

How to Cite ChatGPT and AI Tools: APA, MLA & Chicago Citation Templates 2026 was researched and written by the Advanced Writer team. All citations use verified sources from the APA Style Center, MLA Style Center, and Chicago Manual of Style. The fabrication statistics come from a peer-reviewed study in Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group).

Contact our expert writers for personalized assistance with citations and academic writing.

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