21-Year-Old CEO Raises $5.3M for AI 'Cheating' Startup

Chungin ‘Roy’ Lee, a 21-year-old CEO, has secured $5.3 million in seed funding from Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures for his startup, Cluely. The startup offers an AI tool that allows users to 'cheat' on various tasks such as exams, sales calls, and job interviews. Cluely was conceptualized after Lee was suspended by Columbia University for developing a tool to cheat on software engineering job interviews. The tool, now part of Cluely, provides a hidden in-browser window that cannot be viewed by interviewers or test givers.

Cluely has generated controversy by likening itself to inventions like the calculator and spellcheck, and has also released a divisive launch video. Despite the polarizing reception, the AI cheating tool has surpassed $3 million in ARR. The startup's COO is Neel Shanmugan, a fellow 21-year-old former Columbia student who was also involved in disciplinary proceedings. Both co-founders have left the university.

 Cluely initially started as a tool for developers to cheat on knowledge of LeetCode, a platform for coding questions that is considered outdated by some in software engineering circles. Lee claims to have obtained an internship with Amazon using the AI cheating tool. Cluely's launch comes amid the unveiling of another controversial AI startup with the mission of replacing all human workers.

Source:  Tech Crunch