Why are browser-extension interview AIs detectable?

Browser extensions cannot call OS-level screen-capture exclusion APIs like WDA_EXCLUDEFROMCAPTURE on Windows or CGSSetWindowCaptureExcludeOptions on macOS. As a result, they appear in screen recordings, screen shares, and proctoring tool checks.

Is AissenceAI private mode legal?

Yes — using a memory aid during a job interview is not illegal in any jurisdiction as of 2026. private refers to technical undetectability, not deception. Many candidates use AI copilots the same way they use written notes.

private Interview AI Explained — How private Mode Actually Works

The Short Answer

"private" in an AI interview tool means three specific things: (1) the overlay is excluded from screen capture and screen sharing at the OS level, (2) the helper process does not appear under a suspicious name in Task Manager / Activity Monitor, (3) the audio capture is on-device and does not require joining the meeting as a bot. Browser-extension-based tools fail one or more of these checks.

The Three private Layers

1. Screen-capture exclusion

On Windows, applications can call SetWindowDisplayAffinity(WDA_EXCLUDEFROMCAPTURE), which tells the OS to skip the window in any screen capture or screen recording API. macOS has an equivalent through CGSSetWindowCaptureExcludeOptions. AissenceAI's desktop app uses both. A browser extension cannot use these APIs and is therefore visible whenever the candidate is screen-sharing or being recorded.

2. Process-name discretion

Some competitors (e.g. Parakeet AI) have helper processes that show up under generic / suspicious names like "pmodule". A recruiter or interviewer glancing at Task Manager can spot it. AissenceAI runs as a single signed process with the product name.

3. Audio capture without joining the call

Meeting bots that "join" the call as a participant are obviously visible to the interviewer. The right approach is to capture the system audio output (what your speakers play) at the OS level. AissenceAI does this on both Windows (WASAPI loopback) and macOS (CoreAudio tap).

private Failure Modes by Competitor

Final Round AI — browser extension, taskbar icon visible. Comparison »
LockedIn AI — overlay reportedly fails on full-screen Zoom. Comparison »
Cluely — screen overlay partially visible during sharing. Comparison »
Parakeet AI — visible "pmodule" process. Comparison »
Linkjob AI — requires Zoom settings adjustments. Comparison »
InterviewFox — air-gap design requires phone as second device. Comparison »

What About Proctoring Software?

Heavy-handed proctoring (eye tracking, second-camera enforcement, kernel-level snooping) is mostly used in graduate exams and a small number of new-grad / internship rounds. For full-time roles it is rare. Even so, AissenceAI's private model is designed against the worst of those tools — see our safety overview.

Ethics and Disclosure

"private" is about not being technically detectable, not about being deceptive. Many candidates use copilots the same way they use written notes: as a memory aid. See our ethics page and "Is using AI in interviews cheating?" for the longer perspective.

Try AissenceAI private mode

Download the desktop app for Windows or macOS and run a mock interview with screen recording on. The overlay will be private in the recording — that is the test. Free plan, no credit card.