Cluely Raises $15M to Scale Controversial 'Undetectable' AI Tool for Screen-Based Assistance

Cluely officially closed a new funding round of $15 million with lead investor Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), the company said Friday in an X (formerly Twitter) post. For those unfamiliar, it's a San Francisco-based startup that was once infamous for inviting users to "cheat on everything."

This is a major benchmark for the artificial intelligence company that has never been shy about web virality or scandal.

From Viral Suspension to Venture Capital

Cluely Raises $15M to Scale Controversial 'Undetectable' AI Tool for

First released as a utility to help software developers in job interviews, Cluely has now reframed itself as an "invisible" AI helper that monitors users' screens and provides solutions in real-time, without alerting anyone.

Cluely first made headlines earlier this year when Roy Lee was suspended by Columbia University for a prototype version of the tool. That initial version openly advocated using it for cheating in interviews, prompting debate about ethics, technological boundaries, and academic honesty.

Since that rebranding, the company has removed overt mentions of "cheating" from its site. Rather, it now emphasizes positioning Cluely as a cutting-edge productivity booster driven by clandestine screen-native AI.

Even with the name changes and repositioning, the startup hasn't lost its rebellious tone—or its sense of humor.

Marketing Blitz Coming

With fresh capital in hand, Lee is ready to double down on viral marketing. His ambitious goal? Reach 1 billion views across all social platforms.

"We'll do pretty much whatever it takes to do that," Lee told Business Insider.

This is not lip service. Cluely's marketing efforts are already legendary. At launch, it posted a satirical video of Lee trying (and failing) to use Cluely on a first date.

Now, the company is going to hire 50 "growth interns" with a directive to post a minimum of four TikToks a day to drive user acquisition and brand awareness.

VC Firms Bet on Fearless Execution

Andreessen Horowitz general partner Bryan Kim spoke in terms about Lee and his vision. For Kim, Roy is a founder with the courage to reimagine what's possible.

"We invested early because he has a rare combination of vision and courage," Kim added.

Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures join a16z in the latest round of funding, both of whom previously participated in Cluely's $5.3 million seed raise.

Although ethical questions still linger around its use, especially in high-pressure situations such as job interviews, Cluely looks set to change the way AI is incorporated into real-time user interactions.