HackerRank Launches Chakra AI Interviewer After Six-Month Beta Testing Phase With Over 500,000 Conducted Interviews

HackerRank launched Chakra, an artificial intelligence agent designed to conduct job interviews, observe candidates as they work, and evaluate their problem-solving process. After spending six months in beta testing, Chakra became generally available to customers on Monday. During its testing phase, the tool conducted over 500,000 interviews. Companies such as Snowflake, Snorkel, and Capgemini tested the system alongside HackerRank itself.

Unlike traditional coding tests, a Chakra interview involves a real-world code repository where candidates work inside a canvas that includes an AI assistant. The AI asks follow-up questions to assess critical thinking, judgment, and AI fluency. According to HackerRank co-founder and CEO Vivek Ravisankar, Chakra combines a recruiter screen, take-home assessment, and follow-up interview into a single step.

The company reports that suspicious-activity flags dropped by 70% to 80% during Chakra interviews compared to traditional assessments. While the AI scores candidates, human managers retain final hiring authority. Ravisankar noted that the company built compliance features for regulated markets, as automated hiring tools face scrutiny and independent bias audits in places like New York City.