ChatGPT is the best-known example of what's called generative artificial intelligence (AI). Generative AI platforms, like ChatGPT, are so named because they can generate content: conversations, images, music, poetry, computer code and other things, including entire essays. They can be useful for learners in many ways, they can help you with your assignments, but cannot be used to create entire essays - that's cheating!
Before using generative AI in your assignment, make sure:
Remember, when you are writing a piece of work and use someone else's words or ideas you must say to the reader when you do so. Obviously, ChatGPT isn't a someone, it's a something, but anything you use in your work that has been AI-generated has to be cited. You didn't create this after all, so you have to give credit to the machine that did it for you.
With regard to referencing ChatGPT and other generative AI tools, there is a slight problem in that the referencing style - Harvard Style - used in FET colleges isn't a system, it's a style, with many different variations. Other referencing systems (e.g., APA) are created and maintained by an official body of editors. There's no official Harvard Style, so there is no definitive, "official" way of referencing generative AI. Until there's some consensus (and do check this page now and again to see if the information here has been updated) then:
It's likely that your interaction with generative AI is private, so treat this as a personal communication.
There's two ways of dealing with personal communications, depending on whether the communication can be accessed by other people
If there's no way of accessing the communication, then you only need to include an in-text citation; no reference list entry is needed
Businesses have embraced social media as a marketing tool enabling them “to raise brand awareness and engage with users” (OpenAI ChatGPT, personal communication, 26th September 2023)
If the generative AI content is accessible to other people, that is, if there is a public link to the communication (if your chat history is saved and public)
Then, you need an in-text citation and a reference list entry.
Businesses have embraced social media as a marketing tool enabling them “to raise brand awareness and engage with users” (OpenAI ChatGPT, 2023)
Open AI Chat GPT (2023) Why do business use social media? ChatGPT response to David Clifford. Available from: https://chat.openai.com/share/... [Accessed 26 September 2023].
