The universal AI credit formula
[What] generated with [Tool + version], prompt: “[short description]”, [date]. Reviewed by [your name].
Five things every credit needs: what was generated, which tool (and version), the prompt or short description, the date (AI output isn't reproducible), and who reviewed it — a human is accountable.
Ready-made credit lines
Click Copy, paste into your caption, footer, or code comment, then swap in your details.
Image
Caption under the image, or a credits page
Image: "Watercolor of the Blue Ridge Mountains at sunrise," generated with Midjourney v7, May 14, 2026.
Video
Video description or on-screen end card
Video clip generated with Sora 2, prompt: "10-second cinematic shot of rain on a window at night." May 18, 2026.
Music / audio
Footer credits or video description
Background music: "Upbeat lo-fi instrumental," generated with Suno v5, May 20, 2026.
Text / copy
Editor's note at top or bottom of the post
Editor's note: first draft generated with ChatGPT (GPT-5) on May 12, 2026, then edited, fact-checked, and rewritten by the author.
Code (HTML / CSS / JS)
Comment block directly above the code, in the file
/* Mobile-nav toggle. Flips an "open" class on the <nav> and updates aria-expanded for screen readers. Drafted with Claude, May 28, 2026, reviewed by the author. */
Whole site / project
Site footer or "About this project" page
This site uses AI-assisted media. Hero illustration: Midjourney v7. Background music: Suno v5. Some copy drafted with ChatGPT, edited by the author. All code reviewed and commented by the author.
Where to put the credit
| Media | Where it goes | Common tools |
|---|---|---|
| Image | Caption under the image, or a credits page | Midjourney, DALL·E, Stable Diffusion, Adobe Firefly |
| Video | Video description or on-screen end card | Sora, Veo, Runway |
| Music / audio | Footer credits or video description | Suno, Udio, ElevenLabs |
| Text / copy | Editor's note at top or bottom of the post | ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini |
| Code | Comment block above the code, in the file | Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, Cursor |
| Whole site | Footer or "About this project" page | any combination of the above |
The non-negotiables
- Disclose AI use for code, too. Add a comment that names the tool and explains what the code does. No comment = not your code.
- Name the tool and version. “Midjourney v7,” not “an AI image generator.”
- Include the date. AI output isn't reproducible — the date matters.
- Never pass an AI image off as a real photo of a real event, person, or place.
- Check commercial rights before client work. Free Suno, Midjourney, and Sora generally don't grant commercial use.
- Verify everything you cite — especially statistics, quotes, and any “source” the AI gives you.
- Keep
alttext about the image, not the AI — describe what it shows; put the AI credit in the caption.
One-sentence test: “Can a reader (or grader) tell what is AI and what is me, and can I explain how every piece works?” If yes, you're clear. If no, add the credit or comment.