Defining Plagiarism
The Random House Dictionary of the English Language 
defines plagiarism as “the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work” (see p. 1479, Random House Dictionary of the English Language, 2nd Ed., Random House, 1987).
Does copying AI text fall under this definition?
First, who is the author? The AI software program is the author. Second, are you representing the AI text as your own original work? If your answer is yes, then that would be plagiarism according to the standard definition.
This definition also includes not just copying but also "close imitation," so this means that plagiarism includes copying from AI or another source and then editing it and revising it to make it fit in better with the text you are writing.
Plagiarism expert Jonathan Bailey emphasizes that even if you are not stealing text from a human writer, copying AI text and presenting it as your own is deceptive. All plagiarism, in his words, “…is a lie. It is an author saying, either directly or implicitly, that the work is theirs and is original when, in fact, it is not” (read more here at Plagiarism Today).
Interestingly, try asking ChatGPT if it would be plagiarism to copy the AI-generated text and put it in a paper, and you will see that even ChatGPT agrees that it would be plagiarism (see screenshot below). Instead, ChatGPT states that to avoid plagiarism, writers must properly cite the source, which means using quotation marks and including a parenthetical citation. ChatGPT also recommends fact checking, which means confirming the facts by checking authoritative outside sources. This is a good practice when you use any AI program, since plenty of AI programs make factual errors and it is important to use your critical thinking and research skills to check every claim.
ChatGPT's Response to Question: Is Copying from AI Plagiarism?
Check out the screenshot of a ChatGPT response below, which indicates it is necessary to give proper attribution to ChatGPT if you use it. You should never copy something written by an AI program and simply paste it into your paper. Instead, think of an AI response as similar to a web article on that topic. Treat your prompt you typed in as the title of the AI response. Since generative AI is relatively new, the standards for formatting a citation of an AI source are still evolving, but below are some ways to cite it that should be acceptable.
Here is how you would cite the prompt response below in MLA style:
"Is copying text generated by ChatGPT for a school assignment considered plagiarism?" prompt. ChatGPT, Version 3.5, OpenAI, 15 May 2024, https://chatgpt.com.
Here is how you would cite the prompt response in APA style:
OpenAI. (2024, May 15). Is copying text generated by ChatGPT for a school assignment considered plagiarism? [prompt]. ChatGPT, Version 3.5. https://chatgpt.com.
Please note that other users won't get exactly the same response since the system generates the text each time. However, it is important to note the prompt, the date, and the type of AI software you are using, as the systems are updated frequently.
