HackerRank Test With AI Assistant (2026): How AI-Assisted Assessments Work

HackerRank does have an AI assistant inside some tests, and it is controlled by the employer, not the candidate. It is a company-level setting plus a per-section choice of No, Guarded or Unguarded. Guarded mode, the default, helps with syntax, platform navigation and concepts but will not write complete solutions. Unguarded mode is closer to a real coding agent. HackerRank also runs a separate candidate-facing practice product called AI-powered mock interviews. This page is based on HackerRank's help center and product pages, current as of October 2026. The help article is undated beyond "updated recently," so details may have shifted.

At a glance

Question	Short answer
Does HackerRank have an AI assistant in tests?	Yes, as an employer-enabled feature of the AI add-on, aimed at project-based questions
Can I use it on any test?	No. Only if the employer enabled it for that section. A section shows an "AI Assistant" tag
What modes are there?	Guarded (default): syntax, navigation, concepts, no complete solutions. Unguarded: free interaction, agent-style
Is the conversation recorded?	Yes. An AI Assistant Transcript appears in the detailed report, enabled by default
Is there a score for AI use?	An optional AI Fluency grade (A, B or C) exists for coding and project questions
Can I use ChatGPT on a HackerRank test?	Not unless the test instructions allow it. A built-in assistant is not permission for outside tools
What are HackerRank's AI mock interviews?	A candidate practice product with AI interviewers: Technical Screen, Coding, System Design, Behavioral, AI Fluency and more
Is the mock interview free?	HackerRank's page does not state pricing, and one help article refers to purchasing credits. Check your account

Is the feature real?

Yes. HackerRank's help center has an "AI-Assisted Tests" article describing AI assistance for project-based coding questions "to mirror real-world development workflows." It is part of HackerRank's AI add-on. My search turned up no candidate-facing guide, so everything below about the experience comes from the employer-facing documentation.

The two modes

• Guarded (default). Help with syntax, platform navigation and conceptual guidance. It does not generate complete solutions. Candidates get Ask Mode only.
• Unguarded. Candidates interact freely with the AI, similar to agent-style tools. The documented options are Plan Mode (reads the problem and code, asks clarifying questions and drafts a plan without changing code), Ask Mode (answers questions about the problem or files), Agent Mode (a multi-turn mode where the AI can write code, edit files and take actions), model switching, a context window indicator and inline code completions.
• Coding questions support only Ask Mode in both modes, according to the article.

Supported question types: Coding, Database, Data Science, Projects (frontend, backend, full-stack, mobile, generative AI) and Code Repository.

The article lists several specific model names for the model switcher; since the list changes, I will not repeat it. Check what your test shows.

How employers enable it

The help article describes two steps. A company admin turns on the "AI Assistance for Candidates" toggle in Test Settings. Then, on each test, the admin opens a section's settings and picks No, Guarded or Unguarded AI assistant. To change the default mode, the article says to contact the account manager.

What that means for you: two sections in the same test can have different rules. Read the section instructions each time.

What is logged and how it is scored

Logged. The full candidate and AI conversation is kept as an AI Assistant Transcript in the Detailed Report, enabled by default. A Performance Summary appears in the newer reports interface for proctored tests.

AI Fluency. HackerRank's AI Fluency evaluation article says language models apply standard rubrics to the full interaction history, including prompts, actions and responses, and your IDE activity. It scores three dimensions:

• Context quality: how clearly you state requirements and provide relevant technical details.
• Critical thinking: whether you reason independently and treat AI as support, not a replacement for judgment.
• Collaboration: how you build on earlier exchanges and refine solutions over time.

The grade is A, B or C, with NA when there is not enough AI interaction to evaluate (HackerRank says NA does not indicate poor performance). Recruiters see the overall grade, a short explanation and a breakdown, with excerpts that support each dimension. It requires Advanced Evaluation and Proctor Mode enabled on the test, and works for Coding and Projects questions only. HackerRank recommends reviewing it alongside other metrics.

What is not public. The help article on AI-assisted tests does not explain how AI use changes your test score, and the AI Fluency rubrics are not published in detail. Do not trust a site that claims exact weightings.

Can you use ChatGPT or other tools on a HackerRank test?

Only the assistant the employer provides is part of the documented feature. Outside tools fall under the test's rules, which the employer sets. HackerRank's assessments can also be proctored, with a separate set of monitoring features. I will not advise on getting around any of it. Read the rules shown before you start, follow them, and practise under the same conditions. If you want AI help and the test does not offer it, ask the recruiter beforehand.

See also our guides on LeetCode vs HackerRank prep and the JP Morgan HackerRank test.

HackerRank's Chakra AI interviewer

Separately, HackerRank launched Chakra, an AI interviewer for employers. Coverage of the October 5, 2026 general availability (after a roughly six-month beta) says it gives candidates real-world coding tasks with an AI assistant available, asks follow-up questions about their approach, and scores "AI fluency." HackerRank's CEO says humans make the final hiring decision. HackerRank's claim that suspicious-activity flags dropped 70 to 80 percent is its own figure. The details come from press coverage (TechCrunch via aggregator summaries), not HackerRank documentation I read, so treat them as reported.

HackerRank's AI-powered mock interviews (for candidates)

This is real and separate from employer tests. HackerRank's mock interviews page lists timed, AI-driven sessions:

• Technical Screen (30 minutes)
• Coding (60 minutes)
• System Design (60 minutes)
• AI Fluency (30 minutes)
• Behavioral (30 minutes)
• Frontend (React) and Backend (Node.js), 60 minutes each

Per the Coding mock interview help article, an AI interviewer runs a "fully autonomous technical interview": it presents a role-specific coding task, answers clarifying questions, asks follow-ups, may point you to parts of your code if tests fail, and ends with a feedback report covering code quality, problem solving, technical communication and language proficiency. You cannot supply your own problems. Pricing is not stated on the page and the help article refers to credits, so check your account.

How to prepare for a HackerRank test with an AI assistant

• Find out the rules first. Is an assistant on? Guarded or unguarded? Ask the recruiter if the invitation is silent.
• Practise both ways. Do problems without AI for fundamentals, then project-style tasks with an assistant.
• Give context. HackerRank's own AI Fluency dimensions reward clear requirements and relevant detail in your prompts.
• Reason independently. Say your approach in comments first. Critical thinking is a graded dimension.
• Iterate and test. Build on earlier exchanges, run tests, refine.
• Use Plan Mode if you have it. Asking the AI to plan, then reviewing and editing the plan yourself, shows judgment.
• Check the clock. Chat time counts against the test timer.

A 5-day plan

• Day 1: Two timed coding problems with no AI.
• Day 2: A small project task (an API endpoint, a component) with an assistant. Keep notes on mistakes it made.
• Day 3: Debug existing code using specific questions.
• Day 4: Repeat Day 2 with a clear written plan first. Compare the results.
• Day 5: A timed mixed session. Review your own transcript against the three AI Fluency dimensions.

Common mistakes

• Assuming the AI is on because another test had it.
• Pasting vague prompts like "fix this."
• Treating a Guarded assistant as an answer engine. It is designed not to produce complete solutions.
• Never using the assistant when it is offered, which may leave you with an NA fluency result. That is neutral, but you lose the chance to show skill.
• Accepting output without running it.
• Using outside tools in a test that does not allow them.

Practising with Thita, honestly

Thita's AI mock interview at /ai-interview is a different product from HackerRank's. It is not an AI-pair-coding simulator and does not reproduce HackerRank's assistant. It practises explaining and defending code: a spoken, adaptive interviewer asks follow-up questions, runs your code against test cases for coding problems, and ends with a written report. It is a good fit for the live-interview half of a hiring process and for making sure you can account for every line you submit. Starter is free. For the broader picture of AI in coding rounds, read our AI-assisted coding interview guide.

FAQ

Does HackerRank have an AI assistant in tests?

Yes. It is an employer-enabled feature documented in HackerRank's help center, available in Guarded and Unguarded modes for supported question types, mainly project-based ones.

Can I use AI on a HackerRank test?

Only if the employer enabled the assistant for that section. The section shows an AI Assistant tag. Otherwise follow the test rules and do not use outside AI tools.

What is the difference between guarded and unguarded AI on HackerRank?

Guarded helps with syntax, platform navigation and concepts but does not produce complete solutions. Unguarded allows free, agent-style interaction, including planning, asking and an agent mode that can edit files.

Can I use ChatGPT on a HackerRank assessment?

Not unless the test says so. The documented AI is the built-in assistant, and outside tools are governed by the employer's rules and any proctoring settings.

Does HackerRank record my AI conversation?

Yes. An AI Assistant Transcript of the full conversation appears in the detailed report and is enabled by default.

What is HackerRank AI Fluency?

It is an optional graded view (A, B, C or NA) of how well you use the assistant, based on context quality, critical thinking and collaboration across your full interaction history.

What are HackerRank's AI mock interviews?

They are candidate practice sessions run by an AI interviewer, covering technical screens, coding, system design, behavioral, AI fluency and frontend or backend roles. Check your account for credits and access.

Is a HackerRank test with AI easier?

Not necessarily. A Guarded assistant will not write the solution, and Unguarded tests tend to be project-based and graded on how you collaborate with the AI.

Is a HackerRank test proctored?

Some are, depending on employer settings. See our guide on whether online assessments are proctored.