Citations in your bibliography
According to APA guidelines, to cite an AI-Chat follow this 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
For instance:
OpenAI. (2026, January 07). Sustainable Fashion Buying Factors [Generative AI chat]. ChatGPT-5.2. https://chatgpt.com/share/695e1263-3ba0-800f-af13-9a69d425094d
Citing a specific chat is recommended by APA. However, there are instances when only citing the AI tool by itself is enough. For instance, when citing a chat would be unhelpful or unethical, or if you only refer to the existence of an AI tool in general. According to APA guidelines, citing an AI Tool follows this structure:
AI Company Name. (year). Tool Name/Model in Italics and Title Case [Description; e.g., Large language model]. URL of the tool
For instance:
OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT-5.2 [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com/
In-text references
Citing an AI chat in text:
(Developers of the AI, year) or Developers of the AI (year)
For example in the methods section:
I used the generative AI-tool ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2026) to generate 5 factors that influence people when they buy sustainable fashion.
As a direct quote in the text, for example:
In response to the question "What factors influence people when they buy sustainable fashion? Please give me 5 key insights from research." the text generated by ChatGPT pointed out that: "Consumers who are more aware of environmental issues and the impact of the fashion
industry on the environment are more likely to purchase sustainable fashion." (OpenAI, 2026).
As an indirect quote in the text, for example:
Despite the importance of sustainability to consumers, price often plays a decisive role in their purchasing decisions (OpenAI, 2026). A study by Rothenberg and Matthews (2017, p. 413) found that „the probability of a respondent choosing to purchase the $15 T-shirt over the $25 T-shirt is 0.66”.
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Citations in your bibliography
According to the Chicago Manual of Style, chatbot conversations should usually not be included in bibliographies (similarly to personal communications and social media posts). If still you want to include your conversation with an AI tool in your bibliography, your citation should follow this format - please note that a publicly available URL of your conversation should be included:
Developers of the AI tool. Response to "Prompt“ Name of the AI tool and version, date. URL (preferably shareable link).
Here's an example of such a citation:
OpenAI. Response to "What factors influence people when they buy sustainable fashion? Please give me 5 key insights from research." ChatGPT 5.2, 07.01.2026. https://chatgpt.com/share/695e1263-3ba0-800f-af13-9a69d425094d.
References in footnotes
Below you will find an example of how to cite AI-generated text using footnotes. If you have already stated the prompt you used in your text, there's no need to repeat it in the footnote.
The following list was created with ChatGPT2:
1. Perceived Quality and Durability:
Sustainable fashion is often associated with higher quality and durability. Consumers believe that sustainably made clothes last longer and thus provide more value over time, despite often having a higher initial cost. This perception of quality and longevity can be a significant motivator for consumers to choose sustainable options.
2. Brand Transparency and Trust:
Consumers are more likely to buy from brands that are transparent about their supply chain, labor practices, and environmental policies. Trust is a crucial factor, and brands that can effectively communicate their commitment to sustainability and ethical practices can gain a loyal customer base.
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2Response to "What factors influence people when they buy sustainable fashion? Please give me 5 key insights from research." ChatGPT-5.2, OpenAI, 07.01.2026, https://chatgpt.com/share/695e1263-3ba0-800f-af13-9a69d425094d.
If you had mentioned the prompt you used in the text, the footnote would look like this:
2ChatGPT-5.2, OpenAI, 07.01.2026, https://chatgpt.com/share/695e1263-3ba0-800f-af13-9a69d425094d.
In-text references
When using in-text references in your paper (author-date style), you cite AI-generated content by stating when (date) and using which AI tool it was created.
For example:
The following list of factors that might influence people when they buy sustainable clothing was generated on January 17, 2024, by ChatGPT-4:
1. Perceived Quality and Durability:
Sustainable fashion is often associated with higher quality and durability. Consumers believe that sustainably made clothes last longer and thus provide more value over time, despite often having a higher initial cost. This perception of quality and longevity can be a significant motivator for consumers to choose sustainable options.
2. Brand Transparency and Trust:
Consumers are more likely to buy from brands that are transparent about their supply chain, labor practices, and environmental policies. Trust is a crucial factor, and brands that can effectively communicate their commitment to sustainability and ethical practices can gain a loyal customer base.
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Citations in your bibliography
According to MLA guidelines, you should use the following format when citing AI-generated content in your bibliography:
”Text“ prompt. Name of the tool, model or version, Company that made the tool, date, stable URL.
For example:
”What factors influence people when they buy sustainable fashion? Please give me 5 key insights from research." prompt. ChatGPT, 5.2, OpenAI, 07.01.2026, https://chatgpt.com/share/695e1263-3ba0-800f-af13-9a69d425094d.
In-text references
When referencing AI-generated content in your paper, it's essential to include citations in the text. If you haven't mentioned the original prompt in the text, you can provide a shortened version of it in parentheses (the citation in the bibliography should then contain the full prompt). According to MLA guidelines, a direct quote in your paper could look like this:
A text generated by ChatGPT pointed out that "consumers who are more aware of environmental issues and the impact of the fashion industry on the environment are more likely to purchase sustainable fashion" ("What factors influence people").
For an indirect quote of AI-generated content, MLA suggests the following format:
Despite the assumption that sustainable fashion is popular with many consumers, price may often play a decisive role. Garments that are produced sustainably usually cost more than those produced conventionally ("What factors influence people"). A study by Rothenberg and Matthews (2017, p. 413) found that ”the probability of a respondent choosing to purchase the $15 T-shirt over the $25 T-shirt is 0.66”.
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