Should AI Be Cited? No. Should AI Be Mentioned? Yes.

When writing in collaboration with AI, I recommend these simple practices.

1. Never cite AI or refer to it as a source. Everything AI does is a derivative of other sources, so AI cannot be a source. You may ask it what the underlying source is, and then cite this.

2. Mention how AI was used. For example:
   • AI was used for brainstorming.
   • AI was used for spelling and grammar editing, but not document structure or tone.
   • AI was used to generate all text.
3. Or write AI was not used.

In the future, a simplied system may emerge such as:
⓪ = No AI      ① = Slight AI      ② = Moderate AI      ③ = Deep AI

The same applies to other uses of AI such as coding and quantitative analysis.

This is the honest aproach in 2026. In a few years these recommendations will look quaint because then it will be assumed that everything except perhaps the creative process is AI.