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Controversy, AI, and $5.3M: How Cluely Is Redefining the Rules of the Game
Plus: Why Your Fear of Failing is Holding You Back
Notable Daily
April 22, 2025
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Controversy, AI, and $5.3M: How Cluely Is Redefining the Rules of the Game
Your Fear of Failing is Holding You Back
Good Friends vs. Amazing Friends
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Controversy, AI, and $5.3M: How Cluely Is Redefining the Rules of the Game
Chungin "Roy" Lee, a former Columbia University student who was suspended for creating an AI tool designed to help users "cheat" during job interviews, just raised $5.3 million in seed funding for his startup, Cluely.
The product, which started as "Interview Coder," offers users a concealed in-browser window that generates real-time answers during interviews, sales calls, and even exams. While the tool stirred major controversy for allegedly encouraging dishonesty, Cluely’s founders argue it is no different than using tools like calculators or Grammarly to enhance performance.
Despite the ethical debates, Cluely is gaining serious traction, boasting over $3 million in annual recurring revenue. Both Lee and co-founder Neel Shanmugam have left Columbia University to work on the company full-time.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Line Between "Cheating" and "Assistance" Is Blurring
Tools like Cluely challenge traditional ideas about merit, authenticity, and what it means to "earn" success, especially in a world increasingly assisted by AI.
2. Investors Are Betting on Controversial Innovation
Despite its rocky ethical optics, Cluely secured $5.3 million in funding, showing that market demand for performance-enhancing AI is strong, even if it sparks debate.
3. Real Revenue, Real Momentum
With $3M in recurring revenue already on the books, Cluely is proving that controversial tech products can scale quickly if they tap into user needs for speed, efficiency, and results.
Why It Matters:
As AI becomes more integrated into how we work, learn, and communicate, startups like Cluely are forcing society to rethink where the ethical lines should be drawn. Is using AI for assistance cheating—or simply adapting to a new digital reality?
For entrepreneurs and innovators, Cluely’s rise highlights a deeper shift: the next big tech disruptors may not always play by old rules, and the market may reward them anyway. How society responds could define the future of education, hiring, and trust in the AI era.
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Clean Toronto Together - Earth Day
Every April, community groups, families, individuals and businesses in Toronto are encouraged to spend 20 minutes cleaning up litter in a local park, beach, ravine or other natural spaces.
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