This Startup Built an AI to Help You Cheat Scot-Free

“We want to cheat on everything,” – that’s loud and clear on Cluely’s manifesto

But according to the team of Cluely especially the founders Chungin “Roy” Lee, the mission is to never let a user think alone again.  Lee was suspended from Columbia University after he and his co-founder Neel Shanmugam built Interview Coder, an AI tool designed to cheat on coding interviews. Lee announced his suspension on X, and subsequently founded this startup.

Interview Coder is now a part of San Francisco-based Cluely which allows not just to cheat on coding interviews but on other things like exams, sales calls, even negotiations thanks to a hidden in-browser window that can’t be viewed by the interviewer or test giver.

The founders believe that AI is not merely a tool, but a transformative force that will reshape our world.

Co-founder Lee claims that they have developed, “a completely undetectable AI that sees your screen, hears your audio, and gives you real-time assistance in any situation.”

Leverage, Not Effort

Cluely’s AI-powered desktop assistant helps professionals navigate high-stakes conversations in real time, from Zoom sales calls to virtual job interviews and internal strategy meetings. It listens, watches, and understands. It doesn’t just transcribe or record meetings like traditional tools, it actively supports the user mid-conversation. When a salesperson encounters an objection, Cluely offers instant suggestions on how to respond persuasively. During an interview, it might provide reminders of talking points or surface key facts about the company or interviewer. In a team huddle, it can offer context-sensitive insights to steer the discussion in the right direction.

Cool. isn’t it? Their manifesto is impressive, stating that the future will reward leverage, not effort. Cluely allows users to harness this leverage in all aspects of their lives. If tools like calculators, spellcheck, and Google are widely accepted in both education and the workplace, then why should using AI be treated differently?

The launch of the platform was as unique as Cluely’s concept. Cluely allowed a woman to see through the deception of her date, played by the co-founder Lee, who was unsuccessfully using a hidden AI assistant to lie about his age and his knowledge of art during their date at a fancy restaurant. The video has attracted a lot of attention and garnered comments from many users. One such user, Jeremy Su, couldn’t hold his excitement and said, “NO WAY, WHY IS THIS THE NICEST LINKEDIN POST EVER?” While someone else commented, “Everyone has once thought about building such a tool, but only Chungin Lee had the guts to go and build it.”

According to a media report, Lee said that AI cheating tool surpassed $3 million in ARR earlier this month. “Everyone programs nowadays with the help of AI,” he told CNBC. “It doesn’t make sense to have an interview format that assumes you don’t have the use of AI.”

Suspended, Then Funded

The use of AI tools by candidates during job interviews is raising concerns among recruiters, who view it as a threat to the fairness and authenticity of the hiring process. In a recent report by Business Insider, companies like Amazon have responded by implementing strict policies that disqualify applicants found using AI tools during interviews. They argue that such practices create an “unfair advantage” and make it difficult to accurately assess a candidate’s true skills and experience.

But has that stopped investors from showing their interest in Cluely? No, the company actually raised $5.3 million in seed funding from Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures.

The startup currently sells access to the tool for US$20 per month. Lee claims his startup is on track to reach $1 million in annual recurring revenue.