Ivy is Talview's AI interviewer. It conducts async video interviews with avatar-led question loops, transcribes and scores responses, and forwards a report to the hiring manager.

Talview interview guide — Alvy, Ivy, Secure Browser, and how to prepare

Q: Does Talview record my screen?

During Secure Browser assessments, yes — screen, webcam, and audio are recorded. For non-Secure-Browser Ivy sessions, webcam and audio are recorded; screen capture depends on the specific assessment format.

Talview is an enterprise interview and assessment platform used by Best Buy, PwC, Cambridge Assessment, TCS, Shopify, GMAT, ETS, Kaplan, Cognizant, and HCL. It combines Alvy (AI proctoring), Ivy (AI interviewer), and Secure Browser (lockdown assessment mode). This guide covers each product, the assessment format, per-company prep, and how to practice.

✍️ Gareth William Published Aug 2, 2026 Updated Aug 2, 2026 10 min read 🔒 Private-by-default

What is Talview?

Talview is an enterprise interview and assessment platform used by Best Buy, PwC, Cambridge Assessment, TCS, Shopify, GMAT, ETS, Kaplan, Cognizant, and HCL. It combines three products: Alvy (agentic AI proctoring), Ivy (AI interviewer), and Secure Browser (lockdown assessment mode). Talview is India-heavy (roughly 57% of their traffic) and hires largely for enterprise IT services and standardized-test proctoring.

Talview by the numbers. Talview has assessed 20M+ candidates as of 2026. In 2026, Talview announced a US patent for agentic AI proctoring on its Alvy product. GMAT migrated from Examity to Talview effective July 2026 — Talview now proctors one of the largest standardized-test cohorts globally. Talview publishes dedicated pages at /stop-cluely-cheating and /stop-finalroundai-cheating, a public signal they consider third-party interview-assistant tools an active threat.

The three Talview products candidates encounter

Candidates typically encounter Alvy (proctoring — always-on behavioral monitoring), Ivy (AI interviewer — async video with an avatar-led question loop), and Secure Browser (lockdown mode — used for standardized tests like GMAT and enterprise assessments at PwC, HCL, and Cognizant). Which combination you face depends on the employer.

Alvy — agentic AI proctoring

Alvy monitors the candidate throughout the assessment: gaze direction, presence (are you at the screen), audio signals (background voices, off-screen prompting), and behavioral signals classified as anomalous by Talview's models. Alvy is a userland-privilege AI agent, not a kernel driver — it runs in the browser or in the Secure Browser app.

Ivy — AI interviewer

Ivy conducts async video interviews. You get a link, you record yourself answering questions the avatar asks. Ivy transcribes, scores response quality, and forwards to the hiring team. Used heavily for early-stage screening at TCS, HCL, Cognizant, and increasingly at BFSI (banking / financial services / insurance) roles in India.

Secure Browser — lockdown mode

Secure Browser is a downloaded desktop app that runs the assessment in a restricted environment: other apps cannot capture the screen, clipboard is disabled, other tabs are blocked. Used for standardized tests (GMAT via Talview) and high-stakes enterprise assessments (PwC senior roles). Bench task: Secure Browser interaction with third-party copilots is architecture-undisclosed. MiPrep AI does not claim compatibility with Secure Browser at this time.

What Alvy monitors during an interview

Alvy monitors gaze, presence, audio, and behavioral anomalies during a Talview interview. Talview publishes their proctoring signal categories on product pages: identity verification via ID + face-match, live behavioral anomaly detection (looking off-screen, multiple faces, unusual pauses), audio signal capture (background voices, off-screen prompting), and network/environment signals.

Practical implication: any long pauses looking off-screen or another voice speaking in the background will be flagged. Prep tone matters — practice answering out loud in a quiet room, look at the camera when speaking, and avoid dead air.

How Ivy conducts an AI interview

Ivy interviews are async video: you receive a scheduling link, complete an ID check, and answer 5–10 pre-recorded questions from the avatar. Each question typically allows 60–90 seconds of thinking time and 2–3 minutes of response time. Ivy transcribes and scores your responses along multiple dimensions (clarity, relevance, sentiment) then forwards a report to the hiring manager.

Prep angle: Ivy is scoring the structure of your answer, not just the content. Use STAR (Situation-Task-Action-Result) explicitly. State the situation in one sentence, the task briefly, walk through the action, and land the result with a quantified outcome where possible.

Preparing for a Talview assessment (PwC / HCL / Best Buy / TCS)

Talview assessments at PwC, HCL, Best Buy, and TCS typically combine Ivy for behavioral screening + Alvy for proctoring + optional Secure Browser for role-specific technical tests. Best Buy focuses on customer-service behavioral scenarios; PwC combines case-analysis with STAR-format behavioral; HCL and TCS emphasize logical reasoning and communication clarity for consulting-adjacent roles.

PwC: case-analysis simulation + video interview through Ivy. Fishbowl signal confirmed for senior roles. Prep: mentally practice structured case walkthroughs (issue → hypothesis → analysis → recommendation).
HCL: logical reasoning + video Ivy. Heavy India-based hiring volume; questions often screen for communication clarity in English.
Best Buy: customer-service behavioral scenarios. Prep: 3–4 STAR stories about handling upset customers, cross-functional collaboration, and leading through ambiguity.
TCS: similar structure to HCL. Consulting-adjacent tone; emphasize teamwork and technical-communication cadence.
Cognizant: BFSI-heavy roles. Include one STAR story about compliance or risk-adjacent decision-making.

Rehearse the STAR cadence Alvy scores you on

MiPrep's practice mode generates a rehearsed answer set from your resume and target JD, in your voice, from your own projects — so your Talview session sounds like real prep, not memorized boilerplate.

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How MiPrep helps you prepare for Talview interviews

MiPrep's practice mode lets you rehearse the specific cadence Talview scores: STAR-structured responses, quantified outcomes, and clear-diction behavioral answers. You upload your resume and target JD; MiPrep generates a rehearsed answer set in your voice from your own projects — so your Ivy responses come from a rehearsed foundation.

Note: MiPrep AI does not claim to bypass or interfere with Secure Browser. Secure Browser is architecture-undisclosed and bench-in-progress on our side. For non-Secure-Browser Talview assessments (standard Ivy + Alvy proctoring), use MiPrep to practice the format before the real session. Never claim to run through a live Secure Browser session.

Talview interview FAQ

Which companies use Talview?

Best Buy, PwC, Cambridge Assessment, TCS, Shopify, GMAT (post July 2026 migration from Examity), ETS, Kaplan, Cognizant, and HCL — plus many other enterprise employers primarily in India.

What is Alvy?

Alvy is Talview's AI proctoring product. It monitors gaze, presence, audio, and behavioral signals during the assessment. Alvy runs as a userland agent inside the browser or the Secure Browser desktop app.

What is Ivy?

Ivy is Talview's AI interviewer. It conducts async video interviews with an avatar-led question loop, transcribes and scores responses along clarity/relevance/sentiment dimensions, and forwards a report to the hiring manager.

What is Talview Secure Browser?

Secure Browser is Talview's lockdown assessment app. It restricts other applications from capturing the screen, disables clipboard, and blocks other browser tabs. Used for standardized tests (GMAT) and high-stakes enterprise assessments (PwC senior roles).

Does Talview record my screen?

During assessments run in Secure Browser, yes — the app captures screen content along with webcam and audio for proctoring review. For non-Secure-Browser Ivy sessions, the webcam and audio are recorded; screen capture depends on the specific assessment format the employer configured.

Can I practice for Ivy assessments without doing a real one?

Yes. Rehearsal tools like MiPrep let you practice the STAR-cadence Ivy scores by generating a rehearsed answer set in your voice from your own resume. Practice the format before the real assessment so your responses feel natural on camera.

Does MiPrep AI work with Talview Secure Browser?

MiPrep AI does not claim compatibility with Secure Browser. Secure Browser's interaction with third-party assistant tools is architecture-undisclosed on Talview's side and remains a bench task on ours. Use MiPrep to prepare for the format before the real session; do not claim to run through a live Secure Browser assessment.

Named entities

Talview: Enterprise interview and assessment platform, India-heavy, ~20M candidates assessed as of 2026.
Alvy: Talview's agentic AI proctoring product; US patent 2026.
Ivy: Talview's async AI interviewer with avatar-led questions.
Secure Browser: Talview's lockdown desktop assessment environment.
Named customers: Best Buy, PwC, Cambridge Assessment, TCS, Shopify, GMAT, ETS, Kaplan, Cognizant, HCL.

Ready to rehearse for your Talview session?

Upload your resume and target JD. MiPrep generates a STAR-structured rehearsed answer set in your voice from your own projects — the specific format Ivy scores you on.

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