TL;DR
- Cluely co-founder Roy Lee dismisses new detection tool Truely, saying “invisibility” isn’t central to Cluely’s purpose
- The startup has rebranded its controversial AI assistant, shifting away from the tagline “cheat on everything”
- Cluely raised $15 million in Series A funding from Andreessen Horowitz
- Cluely aims to compete directly with ChatGPT, offering on-screen and audio-aware assistance in real-time
- Truely claims to detect unauthorized tool usage during interviews and calls, but Cluely plans to promote transparency
Cluely’s Invisibility Feature Sparks Controversy
Cluely, an AI assistant that operates in the background of users’ browsers, has gained notoriety for its “undetectability”—a feature it previously flaunted with the tagline “cheat on everything.” Co-founder Roy Lee became a lightning rod for criticism after he admitted to using Cluely to pass an Amazon coding interview, leading to his suspension from Columbia University.
Now, a new challenger has emerged: Truely, a detection tool built by fellow Columbia student Patrick Shen, aims to catch interviewees using Cluely or similar aids during virtual assessments.
But Lee remains unbothered.
“We don’t care if we’re able to be detected or not,” Lee told TechCrunch. “The invisibility function is not a core feature of Cluely. It’s a nifty add-on.”
Cluely Shifts Messaging After Funding Surge
Following a $15 million Series A investment from Andreessen Horowitz, Cluely has softened its marketing language. The former tagline, “cheat on everything,” has now morphed into a more nuanced slogan:
“Everything You Need. Before You Ask. … This feels like cheating.”
Lee acknowledged on X (formerly Twitter) that Truely’s debut might even inspire Cluely to encourage users to disclose AI use proactively in professional settings.
This evolution reflects a broader pivot away from rage-bait branding toward long-term enterprise adoption.
Truely Aims to Curb Interview Misconduct
Truely, dubbed the “anti-Cluely,” monitors for unauthorized application use during virtual meetings and technical interviews. It leverages local machine activity data to identify signals that AI tools like Cluely might be active.
While its creators claim it can flag dishonest behavior, Cluely maintains that most of its enterprise customers disable the invisibility mode altogether due to compliance and legal concerns.
The Bigger Picture: Cluely vs. ChatGPT?
Despite the debate over cheating, Lee’s vision extends well beyond stealth browser features. He sees Cluely evolving into a next-generation alternative to ChatGPT—with the added ability to observe what’s on your screen and listen to ambient audio.
“Every time you would reach for ChatGPT, our goal is to create a world where you instead reach for Cluely,” said Lee.
This ambition signals a significant strategic shift—from a tool that skirts rules to a context-aware, ambient productivity AI for everyday workflows.
The Data
| Key Metric / Milestone | Value | Source |
| Series A Funding | $15 million | Andreessen Horowitz |
| Cluely co-founder university suspension | Yes (Columbia University) | TechCrunch |
| Truely launch date | July 2025 | X Announcement |
| Truely detection function | Monitors unauthorized app usage | Truely Product Site |
| Previous Cluely tagline | “Cheat on everything” | [Cluely Marketing] |
| New Cluely tagline | “Everything You Need. Before You Ask…” | Cluely |
