Columbia Student's Cheating Tool Raises $5.3M

Cluely Secures $5.3 Million Seed Funding for AI-Powered "Cheating" Tool

Chungin “Roy” Lee, aged 21, revealed on Sunday that his startup, Cluely, has successfully raised $5.3 million in seed funding. The investment comes from Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures.

Origins in Academic Suspension

The company’s inception followed Lee’s public disclosure on X (formerly Twitter) regarding his suspension from Columbia University. This occurred after he and a co-founder created a tool designed to assist in circumventing job interview protocols for software engineers.

From Interview Coder to Cluely

Initially known as Interview Coder, this tool is now integrated into Cluely, a San Francisco-based venture. Cluely provides users with the capability to “cheat” on various assessments, including exams, sales calls, and job interviews.

This is achieved through a discreet, in-browser window that remains invisible to the interviewer or test administrator.

A Manifesto of Innovation

Cluely has released a manifesto positioning itself alongside groundbreaking inventions like the calculator and spellcheck. These tools were initially met with criticism for being perceived as forms of “cheating.”

Polarizing Launch Video

A professionally produced, yet controversial, launch video features Lee utilizing a hidden AI assistant. The video depicts an unsuccessful attempt to deceive a woman about his age and art knowledge during a date at an upscale restaurant.

While some viewers found the video attention-grabbing, others likened it to the unsettling themes explored in the dystopian television series “Black Mirror.”

Rapid Revenue Growth

Lee, serving as Cluely’s CEO, informed TechCrunch that the AI cheating tool has already exceeded $3 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) this month.

Founders and Academic Departure

The startup’s co-founder and COO is Neel Shanmugam, also 21 and a former Columbia student. Shanmugam was also subject to disciplinary action at Columbia related to the development of the AI tool.

Both co-founders have since left Columbia University, as reported by the university’s student newspaper. Columbia has declined to provide comment, citing student privacy regulations.

Initial Focus on LeetCode

Cluely initially functioned as a tool to help developers bypass the knowledge requirements of LeetCode. This platform, used for coding challenges, is considered by some in the software engineering community – including Cluely’s founders – to be outdated and inefficient.

Amazon Internship and Company Policy

Lee claims he secured an internship with Amazon by utilizing the AI cheating tool. Amazon declined to comment specifically on Lee’s situation but affirmed that job applicants are required to acknowledge they will not employ unauthorized tools during the interview process.

Part of a Larger Trend

Cluely is not the only AI startup generating controversy this month. Another AI researcher recently announced a startup with the explicit goal of automating all human jobs, sparking significant debate on X.