AI-Assisted Tests

Last updated: April 22, 2026

This feature is part of the AI Add-on. For more information, see 📄 HackerRank AI Add-on.

HackerRank enables AI assistance for project-based coding questions to mirror real-world development environments. This feature helps candidates experience realistic workflows and allows recruiters to evaluate practical problem-solving more accurately.

The AI Assistant operates in the following modes:

  • Unguarded: Allows candidates to interact freely with the AI, similar to real-world AI coding tools and agent-style workflows.

  • Guarded (Default): Provides help with syntax, platform navigation, and conceptual guidance but does not generate complete solutions.

Note: Contact your account manager to change the default setting or to learn more about the available modes.

The AI Assistant currently supports the following question types:

  • Coding

  • Database

  • Data Science

  • Projects

    • Frontend

    • Backend

    • Full-Stack

    • Mobile

    • Generative AI

  • Code Repository

Enable AI Assistant for Tests

To enable the AI Assistant:

Step 1: Enable AI Assistant in Company Settings

  1. Log in to your HackerRank for Work account using your credentials.

  2. Go to Settings.

  3. Select Test Settings from the left panel under the Company section.

  4. In the Test Evaluation section, turn on the AI Assistance for Candidates toggle.

    image.png

  5. Click Save Changes.

Step 2: Set up AI Assistant at the section level

  1. Go to the Tests tab.

  2. Open the test for which you want to add the AI assistant.

  3. Hover over the section name and select the Settings icon.

    image.png

  4. In the Section Settings dialog, select the AI assistance level you want to enable for candidates:

    image.png

    • No AI assistant

    • Guarded AI assistant

    • Unguarded AI assistant

  5. Click Save.

After you enable the AI Assistant at the section level, the section displays an AI Assistant tag.

image.png

Candidate experience

When candidates take a test with the AI Assistant enabled, they see AI chat support that allows them to ask follow-up questions.

  • Coding:

    AI IDE- Coding question.gif

  • Project:

    AI first IDE- Chat.gif

  • Database:

    database.png

  • Data Science:

    AI Assistant for Data Science Questions (AI add-on).gif

Report insights

After the test is complete, the candidate report displays AI-specific interaction data.

  • AI Assistant Transcript: This transcript shows the full conversation between the candidate and the AI assistant in the Detailed Report. It is enabled by default for all AI-Assisted Tests.

    DDDDFDD.png

  • AI Fluency (optional): Provides recruiters with a holistic view of how candidates interact with the AI assistant during a test. For more information, see 📄 AI Fluency.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does the AI-Assisted Summary work in proctored tests?

Yes. In proctored tests, the Performance Summary appears in the new reports interface.

Can I view the AI Fluency in older reports?

In the classic reports view, the AI Fluency is available only at the question level, but not at the test level.

Is the AI Fluency reliable?

Refer to the 📄 AI Fluencyarticle.

When should I use the Unguarded AI Assistant?

You can use the Unguarded AI Assistant when you want to evaluate how candidates work with AI in real-world, agent-style workflows.