AI interview assistants (also known as interview copilots) listen in on interviews in real time, feeding candidates answers, talking points, and guidance on the spot. As these tools become more accessible, one question keeps coming up among employers: can they actually help someone slip through the hiring process? We decided to put one to the test and evaluate it from the employer’s perspective.
What We Tested
For this experiment, we chose Parakeet AI because it was easy to access and relatively affordable. It offers free 10 minute trial sessions, and we were able to purchase three one hour sessions for about $30. Other popular interview copilot tools ranged from roughly $50 per month with a multi month commitment to more than $150 per month.
While cost does not always reflect capability, it is reasonable to assume that some of the higher priced tools may offer more advanced features and could be even harder to detect.
What We Found
We conducted interviews with two candidates using Parakeet AI and, at first glance, there was no obvious sign that the tool was being used. Nothing appeared in Google Meet, and there were no visual indicators on the candidate’s screen.
The software generated responses for nearly every question we asked and provided guidance in real time. One of the more surprising findings was that when we asked candidates directly whether they were using an AI tool, the software prompted them to say no.
The biggest limitation appeared during live coding exercises. Unless the candidate read the problem aloud, the AI struggled to assist.
How to Spot It
Based on our testing, here are a few behaviors that may indicate a candidate is using an AI interview assistant:
- Eye movement
Watch for candidates whose gaze drifts to the side, as if reading from another screen. - Extended pauses
Frequent long pauses, repeated water breaks, or other small interruptions may signal a candidate waiting on an AI-generated response. - Clicking sounds
In some interviews, we heard mouse clicks that may have been associated with activating the tool’s answer or help features. - Overly polished responses
Responses that sound textbook-perfect or unusually formulaic can be a red flag. - Live technical exercises
Coding challenges, whiteboarding sessions, and other real time problem solving activities remain some of the most effective ways to validate a candidate’s actual skill set.
*Keep in mind that new AI tools are emerging specifically to assist with coding and technical assessments. While Parakeet AI struggled with live coding questions during our testing, candidates may attempt to use multiple AI assistants simultaneously, with one handling interview responses and another providing coding support. As these tools continue to evolve, employers should expect technical interview assistance to become more sophisticated.
The Bottom Line
Could a candidate pass an interview using an AI interview assistant? For a standard phone screen, our answer is yes. For a video interview, it becomes much more difficult, but not impossible.
Employers who pay attention to candidate behavior, ask thoughtful follow up questions, and incorporate live exercises into their interview process will be in a much stronger position to identify AI assisted responses.
Stay tuned for future blog posts, where we’ll share actual clips from these test interviews.