Chakra is HackerRank's AI Interviewer: a voice interview with your webcam on that can include coding in an inline editor or a repository task in which you direct an AI agent. HackerRank says it typically takes 15 to 20 minutes, and it pauses itself if you leave full screen or the webcam's view. This page explains what Chakra is, what the interview is like, what it scores, the rules and practicalities, and how to prepare. We researched Chakra's own candidate pages and independent reports in November 2026; employers configure these tools differently, so your invitation has the final word.
What Chakra is
HackerRank announced an AI Interviewer for first-round interviews in March 2025 and, after a beta, made Chakra generally available in October 2026; TechCrunch reported more than 500,000 interviews during the roughly six-month beta, a HackerRank figure. Beta testers named by TechCrunch include Snowflake, Snorkel and Capgemini. Chakra introduces the agenda, answers questions about the role and moves through sections the employer configures, from conversation to coding to a Code Repository task in what HackerRank calls an Agentic Development Environment.
What the interview is like
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Format | Voice with your webcam on; optional self-view and live transcript; an inline code editor or a repository task with an AI agent |
| How you get it | A link by email, through the employer's applicant tracking system or a careers page; you choose when to start |
| Length | Typically 15 to 20 minutes, according to HackerRank; one user on Blind reported a 90-minute senior engineer round, so check your invite |
| Expiry | A date and time the employer sets; after it you can no longer attempt |
| Decision | Chakra scores; people at the employer decide, according to HackerRank and TechCrunch |
What it scores
- A standardized rubric on a five-point scale, overall and for each section.
- Requirements the employer marks as must-have carry more weight, and the employer can end the interview early if one is not met.
- Problem solving, judgment and communication; on repository tasks, how well you work with the AI agent.
- The report includes strengths, gaps, the recording, the transcript and evidence for each score.
Rules and practicalities
- You must grant webcam, microphone, screen-share and multiple-monitor permissions, and the Start button stays disabled until your face is visible.
- The interview pauses itself if you leave full screen, add or mirror a monitor or leave the webcam's view, and resumes only when the conditions are restored.
- Some employers require Desktop App Mode on Windows or macOS: forced full screen, and it blocks virtual machines, screen sharing, screenshots, remote access, outside copy and paste and extra monitors, and closes listed AI assistant apps.
- Integrity checks include no-face and multiple-face detection, phone and tablet detection, screenshot analysis for extensions and external AI assistants, and detection of answers generated by large language models.
- Retake and disconnect rules are not published for candidates; employers can reinvite you, so contact the recruiter if something breaks.
How to prepare
- Test your microphone, speakers and camera on the setup screen, and sit where your face stays in frame.
- Use one display, not mirrored, and close everything you do not need before you start.
- Practice explaining code out loud on easy and medium problems in your interview language.
- For a repository task, practice reviewing AI-written code: read the diff, run the tests and say why you accept or reject each change.
- Ask the recruiter beforehand what the round includes and whether the AI agent in the repository task is the only tool allowed.
Answering well when an AI is asking
- Say your plan before you type: the approach, its cost in time and memory, and the edge cases you will test.
- Narrate while you code; an AI interviewer cannot read hesitation or a thoughtful silence, only what you say and write.
- When you are stuck, say what you are trying and why, then try the smallest working version first.
- Finish by walking through one test case out loud and naming what you would improve with more time.
For a free practice routine, see how to practice for an AI interview for free. Other platforms work differently, so compare the standard HackerRank assessment, a coding interview with an AI interviewer and the Karat interview.
Your rights and what happens next
After a Chakra interview, a recruiter usually reviews the scores, transcript or recording, often within days, and decides whether to move you forward; most vendors say a human makes the decision. If you hear nothing in a week or two, a short, polite follow-up to the recruiter is reasonable.
Depending on where you live, the law may give you rights over automated interviews. Illinois requires employers to explain and get consent before using AI to analyze video interviews, New York City requires bias audits and advance notice for automated hiring tools, and the EU AI Act treats AI used in recruitment as high risk. You can ask the employer how your recording is stored and who reviews it, and request an alternative if you need an accommodation.
Where CoPilot Interview fits
AI-led interviews are screening rounds you take on your own, and they almost always forbid outside help; some log tab switches, pasted text or a second voice. So the useful preparation is practice. CoPilot Interview is an AI interview assistant; its free AI mock interview builds questions from your résumé and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of ten, which is close to how many automated interviews work. The free plan gives 15 minutes a day of live help in sessions of up to 15 minutes, with AI mock interviews included. On the day, follow your employer's rules and the instructions in your invitation.
Disclosure: CoPilot Interview is our product, so weigh what we say about it accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chakra on HackerRank?
Chakra is HackerRank's AI Interviewer, which runs voice interviews with your webcam on and can include coding or a repository task with an AI agent.
How long is the HackerRank AI interview?
Typically 15 to 20 minutes, according to HackerRank, though employers configure it and longer rounds have been reported.
Why did my HackerRank AI interview pause?
It pauses automatically if you leave full screen, add or mirror a monitor or leave the webcam's view, and resumes once you fix it.
Who decides after a Chakra interview?
People at the employer. Chakra scores your interview on a rubric and the hiring team decides.
Can I use an AI assistant during my Chakra interview?
No. AI-led screening interviews are meant to be answered on your own, and many log signals such as tab switches, pasted text or another voice. Practice beforehand instead, and follow your employer's rules.
Practice this interview before the real one
The AI mock interview builds questions from your resume and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of 10. Included on the free plan.
Start a mock interview