FAQ: Can I use or cite works generated by artificial intelligence (AI)?

The Library does not recommend that you use or cite works generated from an artificial intelligence (AI) program such as ChatGPT for your academic coursework. While AI programs may be a fun way to generate art and stories or test the limits of computer intelligence, they are not considered an authoritative source and shouldn't be listed in a traditional bibliography (also known as a Works Cited page or References list).

AI chatbots do not have personal accountability for the ways in which the program draws information from human-authored works. So, if you choose to submit works generated by an AI, you may face repercussions for violating policies upheld by your college relating to academic integrity. Additionally, AI may "hallucinate" and provide citations for articles that are not real, false data and information that is not factual. Also, any output generated by an AI chatbot is not protected under U.S. Copyright law.

Academic journal publishing boards agree:

• Nature, which includes all journals published by Springer Nature states, "First, no LLM [large language model] tool will be accepted as a credited author on a research paper. That is because any attribution of authorship carries with it accountability for the work, and AI tools cannot take such responsibility. Second, researchers using LLM tools should document this use in the methods or acknowledgements sections. If a paper does not include these sections, the introduction or another appropriate section can be used to document the use of the LLM." (“Tools Such as ChatGPT Threaten Transparent Science; Here Are Our Ground Rules for Their Use,” 2023)
• Additionally, Science journals under the American Association for the Advancement of Science state in their Editorial Policies that, "...text generated from AI, machine learning, or similar algorithmic tools cannot be used in papers published in Science journals, nor can the accompanying figures, images, or graphics be the products of such tools, without explicit permission from the editors. In addition, an AI program cannot be an author of a Science journal paper. A violation of this policy constitutes scientific misconduct."

Therefore, unless you have been given instructions by your professor to generate works through AI for the purpose of better understanding artificial intelligence, its impact or if it's the result of a creative project or course work which has been endorsed by your professor - it is not recommend that you use it in your academic coursework.

We encourage you to consult your college policies related to academic integrity to get a better understanding of your campus expectations. You may also reach out to your professor for classroom expectations or consult their syllabus.