Ever wish you had a genius whispering in your ear during a job interview or a big client call? What if that “whisper” was powered by AI—and completely undetectable?
Welcome to Cluely, the buzzy new tool that promises to help you “cheat on everything.” Yep, that’s their tagline. But don’t let the shock value fool you—there’s something seriously interesting happening here.
What Is Cluely?
Cluely AI itself as an undetectable AI-powered assistant that integrates with your computer’s display and microphone to deliver “smart responses” directly to your screen without raising suspicion . Unlike standalone chatbots, it operates in the background, parsing on-screen text and ambient audio to craft context-aware prompts in real time . Cluely’s official manifesto states its mission as “cheating on everything,” reflecting a maximalist belief that AI should enhance human performance in all scenarios . The system is accessed via a small, side-panel interface where users type discreet prompts as conversations unfold .
Cluely is like having ChatGPT in your pocket… but stealth mode.
Created by two former Columbia University students, Roy Lee and Neel Shamugan, Cluely acts as a real-time AI assistant. It reads your screen, listens to audio from calls or meetings, and feeds you smart responses—all while staying in the background. No one knows it’s there… unless you tell them.
The idea? Help people sound smarter, more confident, and insanely prepared—even if they’re not.
Whether you’re on a Zoom call, in a job interview, or even on a date (yup), Cluely claims it can give you perfect prompts on the spot. Wild, right?
Founders of Cluely
Cluely is spearheaded by Chungin Roy Lee and Neel Shamugan, who dropped out of Columbia University after Lee went viral for using a precursor tool, Interview Coder, to “cheat” his way into an Amazon internship. Interview Coder secretly solved coding interview problems via AI, leading to Lee’s suspension and a wave of controversy around AI ethics in hiring.
How It All Started — The Viral Backstory
Let’s rewind a bit.
Roy Lee made headlines when he created a tool called Interview Coder—an AI program that secretly helped him land a job at Amazon by solving coding interview questions in real time. The catch? Columbia University found out and suspended him.
Instead of backing off, Roy doubled down. Along with Neel, he built something even bigger: Cluely.
With bold branding (“cheat on everything”) and a vision to make AI your real-life sidekick, they’ve already raised $5.3 million from big-name investors like Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures.
How Cluely Works Without Getting Caught?
Let’s break it down simply:
- Reads your screen: It knows what you’re seeing—whether it’s a Zoom call or a Google Doc.
- Listens to your calls: It hears what others are saying (if you give it permission).
- Suggests answers: Based on everything happening, it feeds you clever replies, talking points, or even flirty lines—kind of like an AI teleprompter.
- All in real-time: A sleek side panel pops up so you can glance over at the suggestions.
Cool? Definitely. Creepy? Maybe a little.
Can Cluely AI Actually Help?
Imagine you’re in a high-stakes job interview and the recruiter hits you with a curveball question. Your brain goes blank. But instead of panicking, you casually glance at your screen—and boom—Cluely gives you a well-structured answer in seconds.
That’s the dream Cluely is selling.
In a test by The Verge, the tool did work… kind of. But there were hiccups: delays in generating responses, occasional bugs, and some awkward moments where the AI didn’t quite “get” the context.
Still, for a first version, it’s impressive. And it’s evolving fast.
Controversy of Cluely: This Ethical or Just… Cheating?
Let’s get real—there’s a big elephant in the room: Is this cheating?
Cluely’s founders embrace the controversy. In fact, they lean into it. But they also insist that their vision isn’t about dishonesty—it’s about giving people an edge in high-pressure situations.
They argue: If we use calculators in math and Grammarly for writing, why not use AI for speaking?
Still, Cluely requires user consent when recording audio, and that’s where things get tricky legally. Using it secretly in some settings could land users in hot water.
Expert Take way
AI ethicists are divided. Some see Cluely as an exciting leap toward augmented human communication. Others fear it’s a slippery slope toward AI replacing authenticity.
Experts also warn of growing inequality—those who can afford powerful tools like Cluely may end up far ahead, while others are left behind.
Bottom line? Tools like this raise real questions about the future of work, fairness, and trust.
Future of Cluely
With millions in the bank and massive buzz online, Cluely is just getting started. The team is already working on better context understanding, faster response times, and making the tool smarter across different use cases.
Could this become the norm in five years? Maybe. Or maybe it’s a bold experiment that sparks an important conversation about where we draw the line with AI.
Conclusion of Cluely AI
If you love tech and aren’t afraid to push boundaries, Cluely might be worth watching. It’s not perfect yet—but it’s part of a wave of AI tools changing how we work, communicate, and compete.
And whether you love it or hate it, one thing’s for sure: AI like Cluely isn’t going away. The question now is—how will we use it?
FAQs of Cluely
What is Cluely?
An AI-powered assistant that reads screens, parses audio, and generates real-time prompts to help you in interviews, meetings, and social scenarios.
Who created Cluely?
Columbia University dropouts Roy Lee and Neel Shamugan.
How much funding has Cluely raised?
Cluely raised $5.3 million in a seed round led by Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures in April 2025.
Is Cluely legal?
Cluely’s terms require explicit consent for audio recording, but using it without permission may violate privacy laws and terms of service.
Who are the founders of Cluely?
Chungin “Roy” Lee and Neel Shamugan, both Columbia University dropouts known for their previous AI “cheating” tool Interview Coder.