AI cheating startup Cluely went viral last week with bold claims that its hidden in-browser window is “undetectable” and can be used to “cheat on everything” from job interviews to exams.
But some startups are claiming they can catch Cluely’s users. And Cluely says it’s ready to develop hardware products like smart glasses, or even brain chips, that bypass anti-cheating software altogether.
San Francisco startup Validia launched a free product called “Truely” last week in direct response to Cluely. The software triggers an alarm if it detects someone using Cluely, Validia says.
Rhode Island-based startup Proctaroo also claims its platform can detect Cluely users.
“When a Proctaroo session is active, we can see running applications and ‘hidden’ background processes — Cluely is no different,” CEO Adrian Aamodt told TechCrunch, criticizing Cluely’s business model as “unethical.”
Cluely’s co-founder and CEO, Chungin “Roy” Lee, called the anti-cheating tools promoted by these startups pointless, comparing them to years of failed cheating crackdowns in the video game industry.
What’s more, Lee says Cluely may go into hardware anyway, rendering anti-cheating software obsolete.
“Whether it’s smart glasses, a transparent glass screen overlay, a recording necklace, or even a brain chip, we’re not sure,” he said.
Lee even says that expanding to hardware is “quite trivial technologically,” despite lots of high-profile AI hardware failures like Humane’s AI Pin.
Scrutiny of Cluely’s business model does appear to have had some impact, though. Cluely has scrubbed references to cheating on exams and job interviews on its website and manifesto, a major original selling point. Now Cluely only touts “cheating” on things like sales calls and meetings.
Lee told TechCrunch that Cluely is “redefining” its messaging to target the “largest and most impactful markets.”
“Ultimately, we see a future where everyone uses AI to its utmost potential, and that means planting in large, specific markets, and expanding out from there,” he said.
Charles Rollet is a senior reporter at TechCrunch. His investigative reporting has led to U.S. government sanctions against four tech companies, including China’s largest AI firm. Prior to joining TechCrunch, Charles covered the surveillance industry for IPVM. Charles is based in San Francisco, where he enjoys hiking with his dogs. You can contact Charles securely on Signal at charlesrollet.12 or +1-628-282-2811.
