Last week, AI cheating startup Cluely captured widespread attention after boldly claiming its hidden in-browser application was “undetectable,” enabling users to covertly cheat on virtually any scenario—from professional interviews and exams to various other assessments. However, rival startups have quickly emerged, asserting robust measures to detect and prevent the technology’s misuse.
Among these challengers, San Francisco-based startup Validia swiftly introduced a product dubbed “Truely,” explicitly designed as an antidote to Cluely. Validia states that Truely actively scans for Cluely’s hidden in-browser window, triggering alerts whenever Cluely’s app is detected in use.
On the opposite coast, Rhode Island startup Proctaroo has also joined the fray, claiming its software can identify Cluely’s presence through routine monitoring of running applications and system background processes. CEO Adrian Aamodt, sharply criticizing Cluely, has publicly described its business model as ethically problematic.
Yet Cluely’s CEO and co-founder, Chungin “Roy” Lee, is unfazed by these developments, dismissing anti-cheating software initiatives as ineffective measures reminiscent of the longstanding and often fruitless anti-cheat campaigns prevalent in the video game industry.
Instead, Lee hints at Cluely’s next major move—a potential pivot into hardware solutions. He asserted the company’s readiness to pursue devices such as smart glasses, wearable screen overlays, video-recording necklaces, and even advanced brain-computer interfaces, all aimed at circumventing software-based detection entirely. While similar ambitious hardware ventures, such as the widely publicized yet ultimately unsuccessful Humane AI Pin, have encountered substantial setbacks, Lee confidently downplays any technical hurdles in Cluely’s path toward hardware solutions.
Despite Lee’s self-assured stance, recent scrutiny appears to have prompted Cluely to discreetly shift its public marketing. The startup has quietly removed previous explicit references suggesting that the app could be used to cheat on job interviews and tests—a major part of their early promotional narrative. Instead, the company now emphasizes more acceptable uses, such as enhancing performance in sales calls or streamlining business meetings.
In explaining this pivot, Lee explained the company’s strategy focuses on initially targeting “large and impactful markets,” believing that widespread adoption in business contexts will ultimately prepare consumers for the broader, future use of AI assistance technology.
