Columbia University student Roy Lee recently found himself at the center of controversy after creating an AI tool designed to help users navigate engineering interviews. Following his suspension from the university for allegedly encouraging academic dishonesty, Lee turned the experience into an entrepreneurial opportunity, co-founding a startup named Cluely with partner Neel Shanmugam. The company recently closed a $5.3 million funding round aimed at growing their innovative yet provocative platform.
Dubbed by its creators as a tool to help people “cheat on everything,” Cluely has sparked a heated debate regarding the evolving definition of academic and professional integrity in the AI era. Roy Lee attracted significant attention online after sharing the full story of his suspension and subsequent pivot to entrepreneurship in a widely circulated social media thread.
As artificial intelligence tools continue to blur traditional boundaries around knowledge and skill assessment, institutions and companies alike face increasing complexity in distinguishing between legitimate innovation and unethical behavior. The rapid adoption and integration of AI into education, hiring, and professional development have raised tough questions—and cases such as Lee’s highlight just how difficult it has become to draw clear ethical lines around technology that can both empower and undermine traditional assessments.
