Introduction
The following guide provides practical recommendations for referencing online content or learning materials developed, enhanced with, or supported by artificial intelligence (AI) tools that are then hosted on the atingi platform. Course developers are increasingly turning to AI tools because they offer speed, efficiency, and creative support in the often time-consuming process of designing high-quality learning experiences. AI can generate lesson drafts, quiz questions, visuals, voiceovers, and even course outlines. For many developers this means faster production cycles and greater scalability. When used responsibly, AI can also support innovation by helping educators personalize content, adapt materials to different languages or learning levels, and experiment with new formats like interactive simulations or AI-driven assessments.
Kindly first ensure that you have checked and aligned on the AI usage and citation requirements from your projects' donor organization. Those might differ from our support guidelines described below.
Why is it important?
It is essential that course developers adopt clear and consistent practices for citing and labeling AI-generated material. AI tools are increasingly used for the development of digital learning content on atingi. Proper referencing is not only a matter of academic integrity and transparency—it is a requirement under emerging legal frameworks such as the EU AI Act, which mandates the disclosure of AI use in content creation. Clear attribution also supports quality assurance by distinguishing between machine-generated and human-edited content, enabling learners to evaluate the credibility and intent of what they consume. Failing to properly label and cite AI-generated content undermines educational integrity and exposes your organization to regulatory, ethical, and strategic risk. Transparency is not just a best practice—it is fast becoming a legal and moral requirement in digital education.
Furthermore, accurate labelling plays a critical role in accessibility: it ensures that users who rely on screen readers or other assistive technologies receive contextual cues about the origin, reliability, and purpose of content, promoting equitable access to knowledge. By acknowledging the role of AI in content development, we uphold ethical standards, foster trust, and design inclusive learning environments that respect the autonomy and needs of all learners.
Framework
The EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act)—adopted in 2024—introduces clear obligations around transparency and disclosure when using AI-generated content, particularly in public-facing, educational, or information-sensitive contexts. The following requirements help to promote trustworthy, ethical, and inclusive AI use. They apply directly to the work of course developers, content creators and digital educators on atingi.
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Requirement |
What does this mean? |
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Clear disclosure |
Learners must know when content is AI-generated |
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Labelling |
Include tool name, version and generation date |
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Disclosure of General-Purpose AI (GPAI) use |
Cite general purpose AI tools and maintain usage records |
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Human oversight |
Ensure human (expert) review and clarify which parts are AI vs. human |
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Accessibility support |
Label AI outputs for screen readers and assistive technologies |
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Prohibited practices and no deception |
Misleading or unmarked AI use is prohibited |
Questions
Is it enough to indicate that resources in a course are AI-generated without being specific?
No. Under the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, placing the same generic label (e.g., “AI-generated image from DALL·E”) under all resources or assets in a course does not comply with the transparency and disclosure requirements outlined in the regulation. This is a lack of specificity and violates transparency requirements. It also fails to inform the learner meaningfully. This means that course owners on atingi should provide clear, honest, and accessible disclosures about how content was created. Even if AI-generated text, images, or videos have been reworked or edited by a human creator, their synthetic origin must still be acknowledged. For educational content, it is also essential to indicate that the ai-generated or ai-enhanced materials have been reviewed and validated by a qualified subject matter expert, preferably named, to ensure trust, accuracy, and academic credibility.
Is official APA referencing for ai-generated content available?
The American Psychological Association (APA) offers provisional and scenario-based recommendations rather than codified rules in the formal APA Publication Manual (7th edition). These are published on the official APA Style Blog, which the APA uses to update citation practices between manual editions. Generated images, code, or data don’t yet have official formats under APA — course developers using atingi therefore are encouraged to apply the following principles (tool name, version, creation date, description).
Adding a disclosure statement to your course on atingi
An AI disclosure statement is a clear, concise explanation of how artificial intelligence tools were used to create, enhance, or support course materials. It helps maintain transparency, uphold academic integrity, and inform learners about the origin of the learning content.
It should include the following: all tools (names and versions), date(s) of use, scope of use and human oversight/validation (formal acknowledgement that an expert reviewed and finalized the version included in the course).
Example 1
Portions of this course were developed with assistance from AI tools, including [Tool Name] (Version [X], used on [Date]). These tools supported [brief description of tasks, e.g., drafting module outlines, generating quiz questions, designing visual aids]. All content was reviewed and edited by [Instructor/Expert Name] to ensure accuracy and alignment with learning outcomes.
Example 2
This content was developed or enhanced with support from AI tools, including [AI Tool Name] (version/date: [Version/Date Used]). The AI was utilized for [brief description of use: e.g., idea generation, drafting, summarization]. Specific tools and their use cases are disclosed within individual resources. Final edits and decisions were made by [Author/Tutor/Expert Name]. If you have questions about how AI contributed to this work, please contact [Contact Information].
Where should this disclosure appear on atingi?
Please place the disclosure statement in the following places:
- On individual modules that include AI-generated content.
- Beneath images, videos, or infographics created or enhanced with AI.
- In additional documents indicating all references of the course in detail if the AI-generated content is directly briefly indicated and clearly marked as such
- If the course is completely developed by an AI tool, it can be mentioned in the course description
Referencing single or specific assets or resources
When it comes to AI-generated videos or multimedia, the compliance principles under the EU AI Act remain the same: transparency, specificity, and non-deception. However, because video and multimedia often combine images, narration, text, and sound, developers must take extra care to label and explain the synthetic elements clearly and accessibly.
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Image generation |
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Compliance
with the EU AI Act requires that all AI-generated images used in online
courses be clearly and specifically labeled to avoid misleading learners. A
full caption or disclosure label might include:
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Video generation |
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A proper disclosure should appear on-screen (e.g., as a
caption or intro title), in course documentation, and in metadata where
possible. All generated elements (e.g. script, voice, imagery) should be
declared.
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Quiz generation |
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A full caption or disclosure label might include:
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Infographic |
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A full caption or disclosure label might include:
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Course developers can find creative ways to ensure that disclosure and referencing is not neglected or poorly implemented in their courses. Here are some recommended techniques.
Use Concise Captions and Supplemental Disclosure
Caption:
Figure 2. AI-generated concept image. See appendix for tool details.
Expanded disclosure goes in:
- Imprint in the end of the module
- Resource appendix added as additional document to the course
Use footnotes or icons with Hover Text
Include a small AI badge or superscript
Include hover or click reveals in your content design