APA Style has provided advice on how to cite generative AI. APA doesn’t consider it personal communication because there's no human involved. It's more like sharing the output of an algorithm. To give credit for the algorithm's work, you create a reference list entry and add an in-text citation for the algorithm's author. You can cite an AI chat, as it is now possible to share and retrieve specific AI chats, or an AI tool generally.
AI chat
When beneficial for readers, include both an in-text citation and reference for the specific AI chat you are citing.
In-text citation
Parenthetical citation: (AI Company Name, Year)
Example
(OpenAI, 2025)
Narrative citation: AI Company Name (Year)
Example
OpenAI (2025)
Reference list
Format
AI Company Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of chat [Generative AI chat]. Tool Name/Model. URL of the chat
Example:
OpenAI. (2025, September 15). University Study topics Australia [Generative AI chat]. ChatGPT. https://chatgpt.com/share/68c77280-dd14-8002-9302-220e3c56883c
AI tool
When it is unsuitable to cite a specific AI chat, you can cite the AI tool generally. For example reasoning for citing AI tools generally over AI chat, refer to the APA Style blog post. This format can be adapted for other generative AI tools.
In-text citation
Parenthetical citation: (AI Company Name, Year)
Example
(OpenAI, 2025)
Narrative citation: AI Company Name (Year)
Example
OpenAI (2025)
Reference list
Format
AI Company Name. (Year). Tool Name/Model if available [Large language model]. URL​
Example:
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com/
APA recommends including a description in your methods section or author note detailing how AI tools were used in your work. For other examples where you might include an explanation of how you used AI, e.g. literature reviews, refer to this APA Style blog post.
APA also recommends that researchers document their prompts and include them in their work where appropriate—such as in an appendix or supplementary materials. Providing prompts can enhance transparency by helping readers understand how AI was used and may support future replication efforts.
For further information regarding APA 7th guidance for citing AI, refer to the two APA Style blog posts:
Note: In-text citation is important, but it doesn’t explain how you used AI. You also need to clearly acknowledge how you used AI in your reference list or bibliography. Go to ‘Citing and Acknowledging Generative AI’ for advice on how to do this.
