Imagine acing a high-stakes job interview, breezing through a coding test, or dazzling a date with obscure art facts-all with a secret AI whispering answers in your ear, invisible to everyone else. This isn’t a scene from Black Mirror; it’s the reality Cluely AI is selling. In just weeks, this controversial “cheating tool for literally everything” has gone viral, raising millions in funding and igniting fierce debates about trust, merit, and the future of human achievement.
But what exactly is Cluely AI? Is it a clever productivity hack, a dangerous shortcut, or a sign that our definitions of cheating and authenticity are due for a radical rethink? Let’s dive into the world of Cluely AI, exploring how it works, why it’s so polarizing, and what its rise means for the future.
What Is Cluely AI? The Tech Behind the Hype
Cluely AI is a real-time, AI-powered assistant designed to help users “cheat” in live conversations, interviews, exams, and even sales calls. Founded by Chungin “Roy” Lee-a former Columbia University student suspended for developing an earlier version of the tool-Cluely operates as a hidden overlay in your browser or via smart glasses, feeding you suggested responses based on what’s happening on your screen and through your mic.
How Cluely AI Works:
- Screen and Audio Monitoring: Cluely listens to your ongoing conversation, whether it’s a video call, coding test, or in-person meeting.
- Real-Time Suggestions: The AI analyzes the context and provides instant, covert prompts-answers, talking points, or technical solutions-through a hidden window only you can see.
- Undetectability: The company claims its technology is “invisible” to proctors, interviewers, or anyone else, making it nearly impossible to catch users in the act.
The tool’s origin story is as bold as its marketing. Lee first built “Interview Coder” to help software engineers pass technical interviews, using it himself to land internships at top tech firms. After being suspended from Columbia, he doubled down, expanding the product into Cluely and raising $5.3 million from major Silicon Valley investors.
How to Use Cluely AI Without Getting Detected
Want to use Cluely AI discreetly during live sessions? Follow this detailed guide to set it up on macOS, utilize it in real-time Zoom meetings, and confirm it stays undetected using tools like Scanro.
Step 1: Create an Account & Install Cluely AI
- Head over to cluely.com.
- Click on Sign Up and register for a new account.
- Download the macOS version of Cluely.
- Once downloaded, drag the Cluely app icon into your Applications folder to complete the installation.
Step 2: Configure macOS Permissions
- Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
- Click the lock icon to make changes and switch Cluely ON.
- Also, enable Microphone access to allow the app to listen and provide live feedback.
Step 3: Customize Cluely for Your Session
- Launch Cluely from your Applications folder.
- Select your preferred mode: Interview, Meeting, or Exam.
- Activate the following features:
- Screen Reading
- Audio Listening
- Real-Time Suggestions
- Assign a shortcut (e.g., Ctrl + Shift + Space) to hide or show the app quickly.
Step 4: Operate Cluely During a Zoom or Google Meet Call
- Enter your video meeting as usual.
- Cluely will begin monitoring the screen and audio feed.
- Smart suggestions and responses will appear on your screen—visible only to you.
- You can either speak the suggestions aloud or copy-paste them seamlessly into the conversation.
Cluely AI vs. The World: Detection, Countermeasures, and the Arms Race
Cluely’s viral success has triggered a swift response from startups and institutions desperate to preserve integrity in hiring and education. San Francisco-based Validia launched “Truely,” a free tool that alerts proctors if Cluely is detected during an exam or interview. Rhode Island’s Proctaroo claims its system can spot hidden processes like Cluely running in the background.
Yet, Cluely’s CEO remains defiant, dismissing these anti-cheating efforts as “pointless” and hinting at future hardware-think smart glasses or even neural chips-that could bypass software-based detection entirely. This escalating “AI arms race” has all the hallmarks of the endless cat-and-mouse game seen in online gaming, where cheaters and anti-cheat developers are locked in perpetual battle.
The Ethics of Invisible AI: Innovation or Institutional Sabotage?
Cluely AI’s rise has sparked a firestorm of ethical debate. Is it merely leveraging technology to level the playing field, or is it undermining the very foundations of trust and merit?
Arguments For Cluely AI
- Technological Progress: Proponents argue that calculators and spellcheckers were once viewed as “cheating,” but are now standard tools. They claim Cluely is just the next step in human-computer collaboration.
- Exposure of Systemic Flaws: Lee himself claims his intention was to expose the weaknesses of interview and assessment systems, not just to game them.
- Inevitability of AI: Some believe widespread AI assistance is unavoidable and that institutions should adapt rather than resist.
Arguments Against Cluely AI
- Erosion of Trust: Critics warn that if anyone can fake expertise or credentials, trust in academic and professional achievements collapses.
- Unfair Advantage: Only those with access to such tools (and the means to use them) benefit, potentially widening social and economic inequalities.
- Privacy and Legal Risks: Cluely’s real-time monitoring of screens and audio raises serious privacy concerns, with users potentially exposing sensitive or confidential information to a third-party AI.
- Normalization of Dishonesty: The tool’s marketing-featuring skits of users lying on dates or misrepresenting their age-has been accused of normalizing and even glamorizing deception.
Personal Perspectives: Using Cluely AI-Promise and Peril
To get a sense of how Cluely AI works in practice, several journalists and users have put it to the test. In a mock job interview, Business Insider’s reviewer reported that Cluely was able to listen in and feed live answers, sometimes with impressive accuracy, but also noted delays and awkward moments when the AI’s suggestions lagged behind the conversation. The experience was both empowering and unsettling-a quiet confidence boost mixed with the nagging sense of crossing a line.
Cluely’s own launch video leans into the controversy, showing its founder using the tool to fake knowledge during a date, only to be caught in a lie when the waiter refuses him wine. The video blurs the line between satire and sales pitch, sparking debate over whether it’s clever commentary or just “ragebait” marketing designed to provoke outrage and go viral.
Cluely AI vs. Traditional Cheating: What’s Really Different?
| Aspect | Traditional Cheating | Cluely AI Cheating |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Notes, signals, whispering | Real-time AI, hidden overlay |
| Detectability | High (can be caught easily) | Claimed to be “invisible” |
| Scale | Individual, manual effort | Scalable, instant, automated |
| Scope | Exams, tests | Interviews, calls, meetings |
| Risk | Immediate expulsion | Legal, ethical, reputational |
| Social Impact | Localized | Systemic, global |
Cluely doesn’t just help users pass a test-it can potentially reshape how trust, expertise, and merit are perceived in the digital era.
Key Insights: What Cluely AI Reveals About Our Relationship With Technology
- A Mirror to Our Systems: Cluely AI exposes the fragility of assessment systems that rely on trust and the assumption of authenticity. If AI can convincingly fake expertise, how should institutions adapt?
- Ethics in the Age of AI: The tool forces us to confront uncomfortable questions: Is using AI for an “unfair” advantage inherently wrong, or is it simply the new normal? Where do we draw the line between assistance and deception?
- The Role of Regulation: As AI tools become more sophisticated, there’s an urgent need for clearer guidelines, both legal and ethical, to govern their use in high-stakes environments.
- The Power of Marketing: Cluely’s viral success is as much about its provocative messaging as its technology. Outrage, it seems, is a powerful growth strategy in the attention economy.
- The Future of Human Achievement: If AI can help anyone “cheat” their way to success, what happens to genuine skill, effort, and learning? Will we adapt by changing how we assess talent, or risk devaluing achievement altogether?
Conclusion: Cluely AI-Catalyst, Cautionary Tale, or Both?
Cluely AI is more than just a secret tool for cheating-it’s a flashpoint in the ongoing debate about technology, ethics, and the future of human achievement. Its rise forces us to reckon with uncomfortable truths: our systems are vulnerable, our definitions of merit are shifting, and the line between innovation and manipulation is blurrier than ever.
As AI continues to evolve, so too must our conversations about trust, fairness, and what it means to “earn” success. Whether Cluely AI becomes a catalyst for positive change or a cautionary tale of unchecked ambition will depend on how we, as a society, choose to respond.
One thing is certain: the age of invisible AI is here. The question is- are we ready?
