What to Expect in a Coding Interview with LLM Support?

In a coding interview like that, I’d recommend focusing on a problem that’s designed to require some input that a candidate can’t fully achieve on their own, but not so complicated that it overwhelms the AI. I'd be interested in how the candidate formulates their prompts and what specifics they request, like which tech stacks or libraries to use. After the AI generates an output, I’d assess how they evaluate and adjust the AI's suggestions. They should demonstrate planning and problem breakdown, which are crucial for senior roles.

I'm kind of guessing that the interviewers might just be checking off a box for including LLMs, while still using standard coding challenge questions. You could end up answering a typical problem, but it could be misleading because using an AI could drastically reduce your solution time. They might expect you to validate the AI's work manually, so that understanding and critical thinking are still part of the evaluation.

If you're thinking that LLMs are problematic, you might want to reconsider applying for jobs that require their use. However, I don't think they'd penalize you for not being perfect at it during the interview. As a senior developer, you should ideally have experience with AI and know how to incorporate it into your workflow. If you have concerns, look for problems where AI struggles, and ask candidates to break it down before they rely on AI. Also, seeing how they direct the LLM to fix errors could be a good assessment strategy.

I attended a conference last year where they discussed coding interviews involving AI, and I found it interesting. They mentioned that the focus is usually on how candidates interact with the AI and use it to enhance their problem-solving. It’s worth checking out the recording from that event if you’re curious about what to expect!