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In a world where artificial intelligence is redefining the boundaries of ethics and technology, the startup Cluely is making waves. Founded in 2025 by two former Columbia University students, Roy Lee and Neel Shanmugam, Cluely promises to help its users “cheat on everything”: job interviews, exams, business calls, and even, according to their provocative campaigns, dating. With a funding round of 15 million dollars led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), announced on June 20, 2025, Cluely reaches an estimated valuation of 120 million dollars.
Cluely: an AI to “cheat on everything”
Cluely is built on an audacious idea: using AI to provide real-time answers in critical situations. Its flagship product, a tool initially named Interview Coder, allows users to receive suggestions via an undetectable browser window, invisible to examiners or recruiters. Developed after its founders were suspended from Columbia for creating a similar tool, Cluely has expanded its scope to include various scenarios, from technical interviews to university exams.
The startup quickly gained notoriety through provocative marketing campaigns. A viral video, published in April 2025, showed Roy Lee using Cluely to lie about his age and artistic knowledge on a dating call. While the video drew criticism, compared to a dystopian episode of Black Mirror, it also attracted attention, propelling Cluely to 70,000 users in just a few months. According to Roy Lee, the application reportedly generated annual recurring revenue (ARR) of 3 million dollars by April 2025.
A rapid funding round
Less than two months after an initial funding round of 5.3 million dollars from Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures, Cluely secured 15 million more in Series A, led by a16z. Bryan Kim, partner at a16z, praised Roy Lee’s “bold vision,” highlighting his ability to “rethink what is possible”. This capital injection aims to intensify marketing efforts, with an ambitious goal: reaching 1 billion views across all platforms.
However, this funding round is not without controversy. On X, users express dismay, with some calling Cluely a “grift” or lamenting an “ethical regression” in AI use. Others, like a commenter on Reddit, ironize about the tool’s ineffectiveness in real contexts, while criticizing its business model.
The ethical implications of Cluely
Cluely’s approach raises major ethical questions. By facilitating cheating, the startup challenges the integrity of assessment processes, whether academic exams or job interviews. Competing startups, such as Validia and Proctaroo, have already responded by launching tools to detect Cluely usage. Validia, for example, offers Truely, software that triggers an alarm if Cluely is active, while Proctaroo claims it can identify the application’s hidden processes.
Roy Lee dismisses these countermeasures, comparing anti-cheating efforts to futile attempts in the video game industry. He even envisions developing hardware products, such as smart glasses or brain chips, to bypass detection software. This ambition, while technologically ambitious, recalls the failures of projects like Humane’s AI Pin, highlighting the challenges of such a transition.
A double-edged marketing strategy
Cluely owes much of its visibility to Roy Lee’s media presence. With over 100,000 followers on X, he uses satirical videos and provocative posts to attract attention. A striking example is the organization of a massive party in San Francisco, on the sidelines of Y Combinator’s AI Startup School. Announced on X, the party attracted approximately 2,000 people, but was interrupted by police, reinforcing Cluely’s image as a bold but controversial company.
However, this strategy comes with a cost. Under pressure, Cluely removed explicit references to cheating on exams and interviews from its website, repositioning itself on less controversial use cases, such as business calls. Roy Lee claims to want to target “the most impactful markets,” but this reorientation could reflect an attempt to legitimize a business model initially based on provocation.
Toward an uncertain future
Cluely’s rapid rise illustrates the tensions between innovation and ethics in the AI ecosystem. If the startup manages to overcome criticism and prove its business model’s viability, it could redefine how AI is integrated into professional and academic interactions. However, obstacles are numerous: increased competition, potential regulations, and public skepticism.
For the industry, Cluely is a wake-up call. AI tools, if poorly regulated, can amplify fraud on an unprecedented scale. Educational institutions and businesses will need to invest in robust anti-cheating technologies while rethinking their assessment methods to minimize vulnerabilities.
Cluely embodies the promises and pitfalls of AI in a hyper-connected world. With 15 million dollars in hand and a valuation of 120 million, the startup is at a crossroads. Will it succeed in transforming its provocation into sustainable innovation, or will it sink under the weight of criticism?
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