Columbia Dropout’s AI Tool Cluely Cheats on Everything—And We Tried It

Remember Roy Lee? The 21-year-old Columbia student who developed the AI tool Interview Coder to cheat his way through technical interviews, landing internships at tech giants like Amazon, Meta, TikTok, and Capital One? Well, he's back at it again, stirring the pot with his new venture, Cluely.

Last time, his antics angered Amazon and the founder of the coding platform Leetcode, resulting in his offers being rescinded and his expulsion from Columbia University. While it seemed like a major setback, Roy Lee didn't seem to mind. For him, the controversy was a successful marketing move, bringing him fame and fortune. He even declared that he had no intention of playing the university or big corporate game anymore, choosing instead to embark on his entrepreneurial journey with Cluely.

True to his word, on the 21st, he released a short film that sparked mixed reactions and casually announced the launch of Cluely. Joining him in this venture is Neel Shanmugam, who was also expelled from Columbia. Together, they raised $5.3 million in seed funding from Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures. Cluely aims to provide AI tools that can "cheat on everything," challenging societal norms and keeping everyone in the dark.

AI: The Love Guru or the Master of Deception?

"Fake it till you make it" is a popular motivational phrase suggesting that imitation can lead to self-improvement. We previously critiqued yet acknowledged Tinder's AI voice flirting tool for helping people practice dating. However, Roy Lee's short film takes "Fake it till you make it" to the extreme: using AI to generate real-time strategies, allowing you to fake it completely and achieve your goals by any means necessary.

In the film, Roy Lee wears AI glasses during a high-end restaurant date. These glasses capture conversations and personal data, helping him craft the perfect responses to win over his date. From age, education, and occupation to interests, everything is fabricated. Even when his ID card was declined and the girl becomes suspicious, the AI glasses detect her love for art, allowing him to recover the situation.

In the end, the girl gives him another chance, asking about his availability next week. Roy Lee, however, awkwardly mentions he's attending an anime convention (proving that his love for anime is more important). The girl, unimpressed by his lack of "sincerity," rolls her eyes and leaves (a true red flag detector, kudos to her).

Despite the amateur acting, the short film is well-produced and captivating, reminiscent of a real-life episode of Black Mirror. Roy Lee certainly knows how to provoke and manipulate public opinion, sparking heated discussions in the tech world. This time, it seems he's targeting the sensitivities of female viewers (I, for one, feel offended).

Designed "Sincerity" and "Opportunism"

The short film includes some rather "targeted" settings. For instance, the female lead asks if he works at Bananzon (a jab at Amazon), subtly mocking women who prefer high-paying jobs. Then, when the guy fails to pay the bill and the girl prepares to leave, it seems to mock women for being materialistic. Even the recovery scene is calculated, with the guy using AI to scan the girl's appearance and background, finding a topic in her "expensive-looking" art interests to flatter her. It's hard not to feel like he's trying to woo a "gold digger" with minimal effort.

Some say that Roy Lee's refusal to accept a weekend invitation due to the anime convention was his only moment of "sincerity" during the date. Perhaps this was the least harmful and least wasteful "good" ending for the girl in this entire charade.

But the most unsettling aspect is that the entire date was a cheat from start to finish. It makes me wonder: what was the point of the date? Besides trying to deceive and exploit, I can't see how "cheat on everything" could bring happiness to a relationship.

What is Cluely? "Cheat on Everything" in Every Scenario

In reality, this short film serves as a demo for Cluely, showcasing how "cheat on everything" can be applied in various scenarios.

Cluely is a stealthy AI assistant designed for virtual meetings, sales calls, and other real-time interactions. It can open hidden windows during exams, interviews, and presentations, providing users with instant prompts while remaining undetected by interviewers or clients on the other end. Roy Lee and Neel Shanmugam's earlier interview cheating AI tool, Interview Coder, hasn't disappeared; it's now integrated into Cluely.

According to TechCrunch, Roy Lee revealed that Cluely's annual recurring revenue (ARR) has surpassed $3 million. This means Cluely is currently generating $250,000 per month, with approximately 12,500 subscribers paying for the service. Of course, this figure is self-reported by Roy Lee, perhaps suggesting that Cluely advised him to "cheat" for more credibility. On Cluely's website, they boldly state, "So, start cheating. Because when everyone does, no one is." It's unclear whether this is an attempt to justify their actions or a social experiment.

Although Columbia University expelled these two founders, the school's reputation has already been exploited. Roy Lee nonchalantly mentioned that he thoroughly read the student handbook before taking action and didn't violate any rules.

These statements are undoubtedly bold, but Roy Lee and Neel Shanmugam have indeed found investors. Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures, known for their strong personalities, provided them with $5.3 million in seed funding. Abstract Ventures supports young, ambitious founders, while Susa Ventures is an active player in Silicon Valley's early-stage venture ecosystem, with investments in unicorn startups like Robinhood and Flexport. Cluely is undeniably an attractive market proposition. These two young entrepreneurs seem poised for continued success.

On the left is Neel Shanmugam, and on the right is Roy Lee. (Source: Roy Lee's Instagram)

Is It Worth the Hype? Testing This Cheating Tool's Capabilities

Just a few days ago, Google showcased its Android XR smart glasses prototype at TED. These glasses can translate text in real-time while you read and even remember the positions of objects within your field of view, helping those with short-term memory issues.

Honestly, this technology is quite practical, but it hasn't garnered as much attention—Roy Lee's short film has over 7 million views, while Google's TED Talk has 190,000 views. So, is Cluely's provocative declaration and short film just a publicity stunt with little substance? Out of curiosity, I decided to download the free version and give it a try.

First off, for those using Windows, Cluely isn't available for you yet. I picked up my MacBook to test it out. The experience wasn't as magical as the promotional film suggested, but it was quite handy. Cluely primarily reads your current screen and audio, providing answers. For example, during job searches, it can solve graphical logic puzzles for you, sparing you from using your brain.

For online interviews, since I couldn't rope in an HR colleague for practice, I tested it with the AI interview tool Google Interview Warmup. As you can see, the free version hits a snag—Example Answer is blocked. Although Cluely reads audio and text quickly, the answers are displayed in text form only, not read aloud. For me, it's still an English reading test, which could cause delays in real interviews (or maybe it's just my reading speed, haha).

Having once applied for a flight attendant position, I often gave responses that made interviewers laugh and shake their heads. For example, when asked, "Why do you want to be a flight attendant?" I replied, "Because liberal arts salaries are too low, and I don't want to stare at a computer screen all day, so here I am." Naturally, I was immediately rejected. Cluely seems like a useful tool for interview practice, offering more conventional and user-friendly responses than its developer Roy Lee's flamboyant style.

Besides voice input, users can also type questions directly into the window. So, I typed in Chinese, "Which LLM are you using to help me answer questions?" It replied, "Cluely uses the GPT-4.1 AI model, and currently, the model cannot be changed." For some reason, at this point, Cluely started to feel a bit less impressive. It's useful, but the flashy packaging seems to have worn off.

What about you? Are you ready to cheat?