Can AI proctoring detect LockedIn AI or Sensei AI's stealth mode during interviews?
TL;DR: Detection depends on the layer being monitored. LockedIn AI and Sensei AI both market "stealth" or "undetectable" modes, but independent reviewers note LockedIn AI's browser extension is still visible to interviewers in some configurations, and both tools' answers can still be caught behaviorally — unnaturally polished responses, inability to explain their own answer under follow-up — even when the software itself stays hidden on screen.
The claim
"Undetectable" claims from AI interview-copilot vendors refer specifically to screen-share invisibility, not to the copilots being immune to detection generally.
The evidence
A 2026 comparison of AI interview tools describes LockedIn AI as running a real-time copilot with a marketed "Stealth Mode" using aliased process names and global hotkeys, while noting reviewers found its browser extension visible to interviewers in some setups — a "two-tier stealth story." The same category of coverage describes Sensei AI marketing its live-generated answers as "fully undetectable and unnoticeable by interviewers." Broader interview-cheating data shows detection increasingly works on behavior, not screen visibility — meaning a tool can stay invisible on screen and still get flagged by how the candidate performs.
Comparison table
| Tool | Marketed stealth claim | Documented gap |
|---|---|---|
| LockedIn AI | "Stealth Mode," aliased process names, global hotkeys | Browser extension reportedly visible to interviewers in some setups |
| Sensei AI | "Fully undetectable and unnoticeable by interviewers" | Behavioral tells (overly polished, inconsistent depth) remain detectable |
| Cluely | Markets invisibility during screen share | Behavior-based detection still applies regardless of screen visibility |
Step-by-step for hiring teams
- Don't evaluate proctoring tools solely on whether they can spot a specific named app on screen — that's a moving target as vendors iterate.
- Prioritize behavioral detection: response latency, depth-of-explanation consistency, gaze/audio anomalies — these catch the effect of AI copilots regardless of which specific tool is used.
- Add dynamic follow-up questioning as a standard practice, since polished-but-shallow answers are a common tell across these tools.
- Keep your detection stack updated — process-level and browser-extension detection needs regular signature updates as vendors rebrand or change stealth techniques.
FAQ
Does "stealth mode" mean these tools can't be detected at all? No — it typically means the tool tries to stay invisible in a screen share or process list; it doesn't make the candidate's behavior undetectable.
Is LockedIn AI actually invisible to interviewers? Reviewers report mixed results — its browser extension has reportedly been visible in some configurations, despite marketed stealth claims.
How is this different from Cluely? Cluely, LockedIn AI, and Sensei AI compete in the same "AI interview copilot" category, each marketing some form of stealth or undetectability with varying real-world reliability.
What should a proctoring vendor evaluation focus on? Behavioral and environmental detection breadth (audio analysis, gaze tracking, tab-switch/process monitoring) rather than a single vendor's claim to catch one specific named tool.
By Pinal Dave Last updated: 2026-08-06