Many PC students have questions about what generative AI is and whether or not they're allowed to use it in their classwork. This guide is meant to offer some guidance on both of those questions, and to provide students with resources on the topic.
But first, always remember that your professors are the ultimate authority on whether and how you're allowed to use generative AI in their classes. The information here doesn't override their instructions, so always check with them before you use AI in any of your work!
The most well-known use of generative AI today is in text-based chatbots like ChatGPT, which you’re probably familiar with. There are also other generative AI tools that can produce computer code, images, audio, and even video. Regardless of what it’s intended to create, this type of technology has become very good at what it does because of how it’s built: by training a computer algorithm to recognize and reproduce patterns that appear within an enormous set of examples. It’s become so good, in fact, that the things it produces are often difficult to distinguish from actual human work, and because the tools are continually learning they're always improving.
First and foremost, always remember that any attempt to pass AI-created output off as your own work is considered plagiarism under Providence College’s Academic Integrity Policy. Writing prompts is never equivalent to creating the final product!
Beyond that, there isn’t a single, college-wide policy on the use of generative AI; instead, instructors have the authority to make and enforce policies within their individual classes. This means that you should always consult your syllabus and assignment prompt before you use any AI technology as part of your own classwork. If generative AI isn’t addressed in either, always ask your instructor directly before using it – never assume that it’s okay just because it isn’t mentioned.
Again, if you want to try using generative AI for your classwork, always make sure your instructor is okay with it first! It's your responsibility to make sure it's allowed, not your professor's.
If your instructor approves it, there are many ethical ways to take advantage of generative AI. Here are a few examples:
If you’re not familiar with generative AI tools and would like to try one out, several of the most prominent ones are linked in the tabs above. (Keep in mind that most of them require you to sign up for a paid subscription or an account before you can use them.) First-time users can also check out the video below for some ideas on how to use prompts effectively when working with generative AI.
There are many unaddressed issues with generative AI that go beyond how it can be used to plagiarize. The technology’s handling of data privacy and intellectual property is a major concern, both during its ‘training’ and in how it handles the information that users input. Many generative AI tools have also been shown to have absorbed harmful biases from their training materials, and those biases regularly make their way into the content they produce. And generative AI outputs are often factually unreliable even under the best circumstances, because they work by trying to predict the desired outcome of a prompt without actually applying critical thinking.
Just like any other material you didn't create yourself, you should always cite anything produced by generative AI if you include it in your work. This includes any content you alter or paraphrase after it was originally made by a generative AI tool.
As for how to do that, make sure you check with your instructor to clarify their expectations of exactly what to include when you cite. Beyond that, the tabs at the top of this box offer some details on citing certain generative AI outputs in MLA, APA and Chicago citation styles; for broader citation help, be sure to check out our Citation Information guide.
According to the APA's blog post from April 2023 (and updated in February 2024), APA style treats generative AI chatbot output in the same manner as the output from other software, so the company or organization that created the chatbot should be credited as the information's author when you cite it. If you use a generative AI tool in your research or writing, APA style also requires you to include a description of how you used it in your paper's Methods section, or another section if appropriate. The APA hasn't released any official guidance on citing other generative AI products like images, so those items should be cited according to the standard APA rules as much as possible.
Works Cited entry general format and elements:
Author. (Date). AI Tool's Name (Version of AI tool) [Large language model]. AI tool's URL or stable URL for AI tool's output
Example Works Cited entry for generative AI text output:
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (January 16 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat/
Example Works Cited entry for generative AI image output:
Midjourney Inc. (2024). V6 (Midjourney) [AI image generator]. midjourney.com
According to this MLA guidance post from March 2023, MLA style regards generative AI output as a source with no author. Consequently, both your reference list entry and in-text citations for it should begin with the title of the source, which you should create yourself from a brief description of the prompt you gave the AI. Otherwise, apply the standard principles of MLA style to your citations as much as possible.
Works Cited entry general format and elements:
"Brief description of prompt" prompt. AI Tool's Name, version of AI tool, Publisher, date of use, AI tool's URL or stable URL for AI tool's output.
Example Works Cited entry for generative AI text output:
"Describe important capital investment principles for a medium-sized business" prompt. ChatGPT, 16 Jan. version, OpenAI, 16 Jan. 2024, chat.openai.com/chat.
Example Works Cited entry for generative AI image output:
"Surrealist image of a cat riding a unicorn" prompt. Midjourney, 16 Jan. version, Midjourney Inc., 16 Jan. 2024, midjourney.com.
According to FAQs about chatbots and image generators posted by the Chicago Manual of Style in March 2023, Chicago style doesn't require a bibliography/reference list entry for generative AI output that isn't accessible via a direct URL. You are, however, required to acknowledge your use of the tool both within your writing and in a footnote or endnote. The AI tool should be treated as the author when doing so, and you should include details like the specific prompt used and the date of use either in your text or in the footnote/endnote.
If for any reason you need to create a bibliography/reference list entry for something produced by a generative AI tool, treat it in the same manner as a personal communication.
Footnote/endnote general format and elements:
1. Author, response to "details of prompt," AI Tool's Publisher, Date of use, AI tool's URL.
Example footnote/endnote for generative AI text output where the prompt isn't included in your writing:
1. ChatGPT, response to "Describe the main themes of the writings of Thomas Aquinas," OpenAI, January 16, 2024, chat.openai.com/chat.
Example footnote/endnote for generative AI text output where the prompt is included in your writing:
1. Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, January 16, 2024, chat.openai.com/chat.
Example footnote/endnote for generative AI image output:
1. Midjourney, response to "Pointillist painting of Providence College logo," Midjourney Inc., January 16, 2024, midjourney.com.