Live coding interviews are where AI help is easiest to use, because the problems are written down and AI models write good code. Here is how to stop AI in live coding interviews, or at least make it harder to use and easier to notice.
How candidates use AI in coding interviews
- Interview assistants such as Interview Coder, which led to Cluely, read the problem from the screen and show a solution, sometimes in a window that screen sharing doesn't capture.
- A chatbot on a phone.
- AI suggestions in the code editor or a browser extension.
- Known solutions to problems from public practice sites.
How to stop AI in live coding interviews
Choose problems that AI tools find harder
- Write your own problems, ideally based on work your team has actually done.
- Start from existing code the candidate has to read first.
- Add a requirement after the first solution, such as a memory limit or a bug report.
Ask the candidate to explain as they go
Ask for their approach before they start, why they chose each step, and what happens with an empty input. A candidate copying a solution often can't explain choices they didn't make.
Watch how the code appears
Look for large blocks of correct code with little typing, names the candidate can't explain, a long pause before a complete solution, and eyes that move to another part of the screen. Some people simply think before they type, so treat these as reasons to ask about the code. See the signs a candidate is using AI.
Make the problem hard for AI tools to read
dontapplyai shows the problem in a form that people read easily and AI tools have much more trouble reading, with a decoy problem beside it. Code that solves the decoy is easy to spot. When you send the problem through the candidate link, dontapplyai also tells you when the candidate switches away from the page or copies text from it.
Turn off AI in your shared editor
Turn off AI completion in your shared coding tool and ask the candidate to write their code there. This removes one source of help, though not a second device.
Frequently asked questions
Should we ban AI from coding interviews completely?
Some teams allow AI in one round, because their engineers use it at work. If you do, say so in advance and keep at least one round without help.
Do take-home coding tasks still work?
They are easy to complete with AI, so follow one with a live session where the candidate explains and changes their code.
Should we go back to in-person coding interviews?
They work, but they make hiring slower and more expensive. See should you go back to in-person interviews? and how to stop AI use in interviews.
