How to Write an AI Disclosure Statement: Rules and Templates
An AI disclosure statement explains which tool you used, what it helped with and what you did yourself. Start with your course's permission and documentation rules, then describe your actual workflow. Disclosure doesn't make prohibited use acceptable, and a general statement may need separate citations, prompts or an appendix.
plagiarism-checker-online.net Editorial Team | Published October 4, 2026 | Updated October 4, 2026
If your syllabus asks for an AI usage statement, a vague line such as "AI was used to help with this assignment" won't tell the instructor much. Did the tool suggest a topic, rewrite a paragraph, produce code or generate part of the submitted paper? A useful disclosure answers that question in plain language.
This guide shows how to write an AI disclosure statement that reflects what happened. The four templates below are adaptable examples, not universal permission slips. Replace every bracketed field, remove claims that aren't true and use your instructor's required wording when it differs from these examples.
What an AI disclosure statement does
A disclosure describes assistance during your work. It helps a reader distinguish the tool's contribution from your research, reasoning and writing. It isn't a declaration that the tool is an author, a substitute for source citations or a guarantee that the work complies with an honor code.
The MLA's guidance on describing AI use explains why acknowledgment can go beyond citation: readers may need to understand the role AI played in developing a project, not only see a reference to one output. It also advises writers to consult the original sources rather than rely on an AI summary as evidence.
Course policies differ. The University of Michigan's collection of syllabus examples includes prohibited uses, specific permitted activities and permission with disclosure. These are examples for instructors, not a single blanket permission for all Michigan students or all colleges. Your own prompt and syllabus are the starting point.
| Policy situation | What to check before using AI | What disclosure cannot do |
|---|---|---|
| AI use prohibited | Whether the ban includes the feature or activity you want to use | Turn prohibited assistance into permitted assistance |
| Specific activities permitted | Whether permission covers ideas, editing, code or generated prose | Extend an outlining permission to writing the paper |
| Use permitted with documentation | Required statement, marked passages, prompts, logs or appendix | Replace missing documentation with a vague acknowledgment |
Don't borrow a classmate's interpretation of the policy. Instructors can set different rules for different assignments within one course. If you're uncertain, ask a concrete question: "May I use this tool to suggest grammar changes to my own draft, and what record should I submit?" Keep the answer with your assignment materials. Our guide to university AI policies explains how to read those layers of instructions.
Four components of a useful statement
1. Identify the tool and the session
Name the product and record the model or version if the interface shows it. Include the date or dates you used it. Don't guess a model name because an example online uses it. If the version wasn't shown, say so or follow your instructor's directions for that field.
The MLA's updated AI citation guidance asks for a specific model or version and prefers a stable link to the cited conversation when available. That's citation guidance, not a requirement to publish every private session. Check confidentiality and course instructions before creating a public link.
2. Describe the scope of assistance
Use verbs that describe the actual task: suggested questions, proposed headings, flagged grammar, generated a function or drafted sentences. Name the affected section or file. "Helped with research" is less informative than "suggested search terms for finding papers on urban heat islands; I then searched the library database myself."
Distinguish suggestions you rejected from content you kept. If the tool rewrote paragraph 3, don't describe that as a spelling check. If you used output only to identify a question, don't imply it wrote your argument. The statement should let an instructor locate the assistance in the final work.
3. Record relevant inputs and outputs
Follow the assignment's requirement for exact prompts, summaries, screenshots or an appendix. A short statement can point to a longer log. If the tool worked through several iterations, record the sequence that produced the material you retained rather than showing only an innocuous opening prompt.
Don't paste personal information, research participant details or confidential material into an unapproved tool. A disclosure should not repeat sensitive input publicly. If documentation itself creates a privacy problem, ask the instructor how to provide a restricted record or a redacted copy without hiding relevant assistance.
4. Explain your review and your own work
Describe checks you actually completed. "I verified everything" is too broad if you only checked two references. Name the sources you read, the tests you ran or the changes you made. Separate reviewing a tool's suggestion from developing an argument yourself.
For example, "I checked each retained factual claim against the articles in my reference list and removed one unsupported claim" is specific. It's also a promise you shouldn't copy unless it's true. Complete any missing checks before submitting; don't use a polished statement to conceal an unfinished review.
Four adaptable AI disclosure templates
These templates assume the described activity is permitted for your assignment. They aren't quotations from a university policy. Replace the placeholders with your own details, and attach any record your instructor requires. If several activities apply, combine the relevant parts instead of choosing the least revealing example.
Template 1: brainstorming and outlining
I used [tool and model/version, if shown] on [date] to suggest [research questions/outline options] for [assignment or section]. My prompt described [brief input summary]. I used [specific suggestion] and rejected [other suggestions, if relevant]. I selected the sources, developed the argument and wrote the submitted prose myself. [Required prompt log or appendix location].
Use this only when the tool didn't write the submitted prose. If it supplied a thesis sentence you retained, add that fact and identify the sentence. Asking for ideas and adopting generated wording are different uses, even when they happened in one chat.
Template 2: grammar and language editing
I used [tool and feature/model] on [dates] to suggest [grammar/wording] changes to my draft of [sections]. I entered [description of text supplied]. I accepted [types of changes] and rejected [changes that altered meaning, if applicable]. I compared the revised text with my original and checked [specific items]. The argument and source selection are my own. [Required marked changes or log location].
This template doesn't assume that every editing feature is allowed. A spelling correction, a tone rewrite and a newly generated paragraph aren't interchangeable. For a multilingual student, a translation or substantial sentence rewrite should be described directly rather than hidden under "proofreading."
Template 3: code and data analysis assistance
I used [tool and model/version] on [dates] to [generate/debug/explain] [function, script or analysis step] in [file or appendix]. I supplied [input summary without confidential data]. I retained [specific code or approach] and modified [specific elements]. I tested it using [tests or comparison procedure] and checked [assumptions/results]. I designed [my contribution] and interpreted the results myself. [Prompt/output record location].
Replace broad assurances with actual tests. Running code once without an error isn't the same as checking whether the analysis answers your question. Identify generated code that remains in the submission and follow any requirement for comments, citations or an analysis-methods note.
Template 4: permitted generated prose
Under the instructions for [assignment], I used [tool and model/version] on [dates] to draft [identified passages]. The relevant prompts and outputs are in [required record location]. I retained [scope of generated material], revised [specific elements] and removed [material, if applicable]. I checked [claims/references] against [sources consulted] and contributed [research, analysis and final editorial decisions]. Generated passages are marked [as required by the assignment].
Use this only where generated prose is allowed. Calling it "collaborative" doesn't change the permission requirement. If you retained a full paragraph with minor edits, say that. Don't claim complete independent authorship in another part of the submission while this statement describes generated text.
Where to put the statement
Follow the instructor's requested location and format. A course might ask for an appendix, an acknowledgment, a submission note or a separate declaration form. These options aren't interchangeable when the instructions name one of them.
If no location is specified, ask before submission. A short note can summarize the assistance and point to a clearly labeled appendix containing the required record. Keep the statement with the version you submit. A private note in your research folder won't meet a requirement to disclose to the instructor.
For group work, identify whose activity the statement describes. Don't make a declaration for teammates without confirming their contributions. The group may need a combined record or separate statements, depending on the assignment.
Disclosure vs citation in APA and MLA assignments
Permission, disclosure and citation answer separate questions. Permission asks whether the activity is allowed. Disclosure explains the process. A citation identifies particular material used in the paper. Adding a reference-list entry alone may leave the process unexplained; an acknowledgment alone may leave a quoted output untraceable.
For exact style formatting, use the current instructions assigned by your course and our guide to citing ChatGPT in APA, MLA and Chicago. In an APA assignment, don't assume an MLA-format acknowledgment settles the reference requirements. If an AI response points you to a scholarly article, read and cite that article for its claims rather than treating the chatbot's summary as the research source.
Build your statement with the free tool
The AI Usage Statement tool organizes the tool, version, date, purpose, affected part, input summary, your checks and your contribution. It runs in your browser and offers editable text, a usage table, Word export and CSV export. Entries stay in the current tab until you export them; save your record before closing it.
Read the result before you paste it into your paper. The generator records what you declare; it doesn't check whether the activity was allowed. Delete the example entries and fill in your real use. Keep any longer prompt record separately if the assignment requires one.
Our optional AI Scan estimates AI-like patterns; it can't verify a disclosure or prove authorship. If you choose a scan, you can order an independent check, but a detector score isn't a reason to conceal permitted assistance. Accurate records matter more. For a concern about authorship, see what to do if you're falsely accused of using AI.
A final accuracy check
- Does the statement name every relevant tool and activity?
- Can a reader identify the affected passages, code or analysis?
- Have you claimed only checks you actually performed?
- Does the record satisfy the prompt and syllabus requirements?
- Are citations and supporting logs included where required?
- Have you protected confidential information without hiding relevant assistance?
Frequently asked questions
Does disclosing AI use protect me from cheating charges?
No. Disclosure records your use; it doesn't authorize it. Check whether your instructor permits the activity, then meet the course's documentation requirements. If you've already used AI in a prohibited way, explain what happened honestly and ask your instructor how to proceed.
Do I need to disclose ordinary spelling correction?
That depends on your course's definition of AI assistance. Basic spelling correction and generating replacement sentences are different activities. Check the actual feature you used, not just the product name, and ask your instructor if the policy doesn't distinguish them.
What should I do if I forgot an AI disclosure statement?
Contact your instructor promptly, explain the specific use and ask how to submit the missing statement or supporting record. Don't assume the omission has a fixed penalty, and don't invent a log after the fact. The course and institution determine how the situation is reviewed.
Should I save my prompts and chat logs?
Keep the relevant dated prompts and outputs when your policy requires them or when they help document your work. Store them privately and avoid exposing personal or confidential information in public chat links. A log can support your account, but it doesn't prove that every course rule was followed.
How is an AI disclosure different from an AI citation?
A disclosure explains your process across an assignment, including activities such as outlining or editing. A citation identifies a particular output you quote, paraphrase or otherwise use. Depending on your course and citation style, you may need both, plus a prompt appendix or other documentation.
This article is part of our Guide to Academic Integrity Policies and AI Rules.