Latest news with #InterviewCoder
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Banned By Columbia, Backed By Millions: 21-Year-Old's AI Startup Cluely Lets You Cheat On Exams, Interviews, And Sales Calls
Cluely, a provocative AI startup born from academic controversy, just closed a $5.3 million seed round led by Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures. According to Futurism, the company's core product is a real-time, invisible AI assistant that operates through a hidden browser overlay, giving users live answers during interviews, coding tests, exams, and even meetings. Don't Miss: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — . The founders, Chungin "Roy" Lee and Neel Shanmugam dropped out of Columbia University after being suspended for creating the early version of the tool, known then as Interview Coder. That tool, built to help candidates navigate technical interviews on platforms like LeetCode, quickly went viral and caught the attention of Columbia's disciplinary board. Within weeks of their suspension, the co-founders rebranded the product and announced the funding round on LinkedIn. Their AI, marketed as "completely undetectable," sees the screen, hears the audio, and feeds the user context-specific responses in real time. In an interview with the New York Times' "Hard Fork' podcast, co-founder Lee stated, 'I read the student handbook quite thoroughly before I actually started building this thing [...] but I didn't actually expect to get expelled at all. And the student handbook very explicitly doesn't mention anything about academic resources.' Trending: Donald Trump Just Announced a $500 Billion AI Infrastructure Deal — The $5.3 million funding round, completed in just a few weeks following Cluely's rebrand, is being seen as a sign of growing investor appetite for new forms of human-AI collaboration, particularly in areas where performance pressure and assessment bias remain high. Since launching its current version, Cluely has reported more than $3 million in annual recurring revenue. While critics have raised ethical questions about the software, supporters argue that it highlights inefficiencies in existing gatekeeping systems, particularly the widespread reliance on memorization-heavy assessments like LeetCode in technical hiring processes, writes Business Today. A recent promotional video shared by the founder on X showed Lee using the software during a date to fabricate knowledge and facts in real-time, sparking debate across social media. While some saw the demonstration as a humorous take on modern dating and digital dependence, others likened it to scenarios featured in dystopian fiction such as Black Mirror. Some developers have already attempted to counteract Cluely's software, with one Reddit user claiming to have created a Swift-based tool that detects the platform when it is the public controversy, the startup continues to gain traction across industries. Early adopters include tech workers preparing for job interviews, sales professionals seeking support during live calls, and students managing online exam environments. According to Fortune, Cluely offers unlimited access to its AI tool through a subscription model priced at $20 per month or $100 annually. With funding, momentum building, institutional support from respected venture firms, and rapidly growing user demand, Cluely is signaling a broader shift in the conversation around AI, merit, and human augmentation. Whether the world sees that as a threat or an evolution remains to be seen. Read Next: Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Banned By Columbia, Backed By Millions: 21-Year-Old's AI Startup Cluely Lets You Cheat On Exams, Interviews, And Sales Calls originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Columbia student, who was suspended over his AI job interview cheating tool, raises $5.3 million in seed funding
AI service Cluely has raised $5.3 million in seed funding. The "cheating" site was founded by a Columbia student who was suspended from the school. The tool says it lets people cheat on "literally everything." Earlier this year, Chungin 'Roy' Lee announced he had been suspended from Columbia University after creating an artificial intelligence tool to help prospective software engineers cheat on job interviews. On Sunday, he announced he had raised $5.3 million in seed funding for that very same tool. That tool, initially called Interview Coder and now called Cluely, has been expanded. Instead of just helping people cheat on coding interviews, it now helps people cheat on "literally everything." And Lee says the technology will one day be as common as the calculator and spellcheck. "[To be honest], i don't think this is cheating," he wrote in a LinkedIn post announcing the funding. "[E]very single time technology has made people smarter, the world panics. then it adapts. then it forgets. and suddenly, it's normal. but this is different. humanity is at an inflection point. AI will transform the entire world, and it will be more disruptive than anything we've ever seen. Cluely is the bridge to a world where humans don't compete with machines—we grow with them." The announcement was accompanied by a video that showed how the tool could be used on a date, which some viewers have labeled creepy and compared to the dystopian Netflix show Black Mirror. Lee later clarified that "dates are not a real use case for the product." Cluely says it will help users "cheat" on everything from exams to sales calls, using an in-browser window that can't be seen by the other party online. The tool's AI reads the user's screen and eavesdrops on the audio, providing answers in real time. The company is charging $20 per month or $100 per year for unlimited usage. Lee was suspended by the university at the end of March, and his cofounder Neel Shanmugam, who is Cluely's COO, was also wrapped up in the disciplinary action. Both have since dropped out of the school. In a manifesto on the Cluely site, the founders argued AI redefines how the world works, saying there was no reason to memorize facts, write code, or research anything when the AI model can do it much faster. "Every time technology makes us smarter, the world panics," the manifesto reads. "Then it adapts. Then it forgets. And suddenly, it's normal… So, start cheating. Because when everyone does, no one is." This story was originally featured on Sign in to access your portfolio
India Today
23-04-2025
- Business
- India Today
Man suspended for 'cheating' builds AI firm to do it better, gets Rs 44.3 crore fund
A Columbia University student who faced suspension for building an AI tool to cheat tech interviews has now raised millions to expand the idea into something even bigger and bolder. Chungin Lee, a 21-year-old computer science student, who made headlines for creating an AI-based tool that quietly helped users ace LeetCode-style questions in real-time during coding interviews, said he has secured funding of $5.3 million (Rs 44.3 crore approximately). advertisementHis AI tool, Interview Coder, was designed to help students while running invisibly during live assessments for companies like Amazon, Meta, and TikTok. Unsurprisingly, the stunt didn't go well with the industry. Lee was suspended by Columbia, blacklisted by Amazon, and branded a 'cheater' online. But instead of backing down, he doubled up. He turned the backlash into momentum. Lee launched Cluely, an AI startup that offers users silent, in-browser support for everything from exams to sales calls to job interviews. Think of it as a whispering AI that never gets caught, at least that's the pitch. Lee had a message for those who called it unethical as he announced securing $5.3 million in pre-seed funding. In a post on X, Lee said, "$5 million to change the definition of the word 'cheating'."advertisementHe reposted a post by X handle of his firm, which reads, "They called calculators cheating. They called Google cheating. The world will say the same about AI. We're not stopping. Just raised a $5.3M pre-seed to build the future - faster." Lee had earlier said that he was kicked out of Columbia and blacklisted by Amazon four weeks after he launched Interview Coder. He was told by those around him to quit his plan to expand his AI tool. Lee narrated the entire incident in a series of posts on X. I just got kicked out of Columbia for taking a stand against Leetcode the whole story (long thread): Roy (@im_roy_lee) March 27, 2025While several users call it cheating, Chungin Lee calls it changing the rules. And with millions now backing his idea, he's made it clear that he's not here to play by the old rules. Trending Reel
Hindustan Times
23-04-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Suspended from Columbia, student raises $5 million for AI cheating tool: ‘The world will say…'
A Columbia University student, who was suspended for creating an AI tool to cheat in coding interviews to secure summer internships at tech giants like Amazon, Meta, TikTok and more, has raised $5.3 million in funding for what he called "changing the definition of cheating." 21-year-old Chungin Lee who goes by Roy Lee built an AI tool named Interview Coder, an invisible application which offered real-time assistance to software engineers in technical interviews that used LeetCode. After his tool went viral on social media for effectively fooling the biggest tech companies, Lee faced flak from Meta and Amazon and was eventually suspended from Columbia. However, he doubled down and created Cluely, an AI tool that helps users 'cheat on everything' including interviews, exams, and sales calls through hidden in-browser windows. Hitting back at those who labelled the startup as a means of cheating at interviews, the company shared the news of securing their new multi-million funding with a message. "They called calculators cheating. They called Google cheating. The world will say the same about AI. We're not stopping. Cluely just raised a $5.3M pre-seed to build the future — faster," it read. Lee said four weeks after he launched Interview Coder, he was kicked out of Columbia and blacklisted by Amazon and was told by those around him to quit his plan to expand his AI tool. "Everyone in my life told me to quit, but I ignored all advice and kept going. I've since come to learn that you really need to swing big if you ever wanna make it. Hope this resonates with some of you. This mentality is what inspired me to build Cluely, the ultimate end-state of Interview Coder, and something I never would've thought I could build six months ago. This is the most ambitious project I will ever work on," he declared on X. (Also read: Columbia student creates AI tool to easily land offers from Amazon, Meta, TikTok and more)
NDTV
23-04-2025
- Business
- NDTV
AI Startup That Lets Users Cheat In Exams And Interviews Raises $5.3 Million
Two Columbia University dropouts have secured $5.3 million in seed funding for their AI startup, Cluely. The company markets its technology as a way to "cheat on everything," offering real-time, hidden assistance for tasks like coding tests, job interviews, and sales calls. Cluely's AI tool provides answers through a concealed in-browser window, invisible to others. Cluely's roots trace back to Interview Coder, a tool created by Chungin "Roy" Lee that helped software engineers during job interviews. Lee's project led to his suspension from Columbia University. He later developed it further with Neel Shanmugam, and it became part of Cluely. $5 million to change the definition of the word "cheating" — Roy (@im_roy_lee) April 21, 2025 Cluely's AI operates undetected in a hidden browser window, providing real-time assistance during exams, sales calls, and interviews. The company justified its approach by drawing parallels to calculators and spellcheck, arguing that tools initially deemed as cheating can become normalised over time. Cluely also shared a launch video showing Mr Lee using the tool to lie on a date. Cluely is out. cheat on everything. — Roy (@im_roy_lee) April 20, 2025 Despite controversy, Cluely's CEO reported that the tool has generated $3 million in annual revenue. The tool's bold positioning has drawn attention, raising questions about the ethics and implications of using AI to gain an unfair advantage. While some interpreted it as a satirical commentary on modern AI use, others criticised it for potentially normalising dishonest behaviour. The tool was initially created to help developers cheat on LeetCode, a platform for coding challenges and interview prep. Mr Lee claimed he used the tool to secure an Amazon internship, but Amazon stated that unauthorised tools are not allowed during interviews. The tool also helped him secure summer internships at top tech companies, including Amazon, Meta, TikTok, and more. Mr Lee revealed that his true intention was not to land an internship but to expose the flaws in the LeetCode interview process used by top tech companies. He wanted to demonstrate the effectiveness of his AI tool, Interview Coder, and ultimately, to bring about change in the way companies conduct technical interviews.
