Startups are now stepping up to take on Cluely, an AI tool that promises to help users cheat in almost any situation — from school exams to job interviews — by running invisibly in the background of a web browser. However, as Cluely gains attention, other tech firms are responding with their tools to catch users who try to use it.
You may have seen Cluely trending recently, with its creators claiming their hidden browser window is “undetectable.” According to its website, the tool can quietly feed you AI-generated answers during interviews, exams, and meetings — all without the person on the other side knowing. While this has raised concerns among employers, educators, and developers, Cluely says it’s only the beginning.
Startups strike back with new detection tools
Two US startups have already launched products to expose Cluely users. Validia, based in San Francisco, released a free tool called “Truely” that claims to raise an alarm if Cluely is running in the background during an online session. They say their software can identify the hidden browser window Cluely uses to deliver its AI support.
In Rhode Island, a company called Proctaroo is also getting involved. Their CEO, Adrian Aamodt, says their system can monitor all open applications and processes on a device during an exam or meeting, including hidden tools like Cluely. Speaking to TechCrunch, Aamodt didn’t hold back, calling Cluely’s approach “unethical” and insisting that people using Proctaroo’s service won’t get away with cheating.
This type of technology works much like proctoring software used in online exams. It keeps an eye on what’s happening on your screen and can even track hidden programmes in the background. With both Truely and Proctaroo focused on catching Cluely users, it’s clear that startups aren’t letting AI cheating slide without a fight.
Cluely hits back and hints at future AI gadgets
Cluely’s CEO, Chungin “Roy” Lee, doesn’t seem worried. He’s already looking ahead to a future without cheating detection software. He compares the current wave of anti-cheating tools to failed attempts to stop cheating in video games, saying history shows these tools rarely succeed long-term.
According to Lee, Cluely may soon expand into hardware — gadgets that could make AI cheating harder to stop. He mentioned the possibility of smart glasses, see-through screens, wearable recorders, and even brain chips that could all feed users AI support without being detected.
Lee claims that building this kind of hardware is “quite trivial technologically,” even though other AI gadgets, like Humane’s AI Pin, have struggled in the real world. Whether or not that’s true remains to be seen, but the idea of wearable cheating devices could push the debate around ethics and AI even further.
A shift in Cluely’s public messaging
All this attention has had some effect. Cluely is cleaning up its public image. The company recently removed bold claims about helping users cheat on school exams and job interviews from its website. Instead, it now focuses on more general use cases, like giving users an edge during meetings and sales calls.
Lee told TechCrunch that this is part of a shift in strategy. Cluely is now aiming at “larger and more impactful markets,” he said, suggesting that the company wants to be seen as a productivity tool rather than simply a cheating app.
“We want to help people use AI to its fullest,” he said, adding that the team plans to expand from business-related uses into other areas in the future.
As Cluely advances, more companies will likely develop tools to either support or stop the rise of AI-enabled assistance, depending on their position on the ethics debate.
