Cluely: Real-time AI assistant for “cheat at everything”

Cluely: Real-time AI assistant for “cheat at everything” Artificial intelligence is now at the very heart of our professional exchanges. Cluely positions itself as an AI co-pilot capable of analyzing your screens and listening in on your conversations to provide you with instant contextual responses. This AI technology generates as much enthusiasm as controversy in the sales and recruitment sector. ➥ But what is Cluely? In fact, Cluely is an AI assistant, developed by two Columbia students, that runs in the background on your computer (currently Mac & Windows only). It analyzes your screen and listens to your conversations, offering you real-time responses in a discreet window. Some call it an AI cheating tool , but in reality it’s much more than just a cheating tool. Use of powerful LLM models Thanks to OpenAI’s GPT-4o mini and Anthropic’s Claude 4 Sonnet language models, this tool is able to make relevant suggestions that are displayed in a floating window. ➥ How does this conversational AI work? The system works in the background without disrupting your videoconferences (pretty handy when you think about it). It automatically recognizes the context of your exchanges and adapts its recommendations according to the nature of the discussion: job interview, sales negotiation or team meeting. ➥ Key features of the Cluely AI assistant Real-time context analysis Cluely’s artificial intelligence deciphers the nuances of your business conversations (which is no mean feat). In fact, it can distinguish between a customer objection and a technical question, and propose answers adapted to each situation. This contextual analysis is at the heart of the technology developed by founders Chungin Lee and Neel Shanmugam. Discreet and customizable interface The assistance window remains invisible during screen sharing, and can be repositioned to suit your preferences (an important detail). This discretion allows you to maintain your focus on the other person, while benefiting from strategic support. Automatic objection handling The tool is an expert at detecting and handling sales objections . What’s more, it instantly offers counter-arguments, competitive comparisons and rebound techniques to maintain sales momentum (which can make all the difference on a crucial call). ➥ Cluely pricing and subscription plans Three formulas to suit different company profiles: Free plan : Limited access with a few daily answers and the GPT-4.1-mini model (perfect for testing before investing). Ideal for discovering basic capabilities. Pro Plan : Unlimited access to the advanced GPT-4.1 and Claude 4 Sonnet templates, with full responses and personalized prompts (where it gets serious). Price: $20 per month . Enterprise Plan : Complete solution including team management, post-call analysis and enhanced data security (confidentiality respected). ➥ Target audience and Cluely IA use cases The most important customers for this solution are sales teams. Sales reps use it to improve their performance on customer calls (and frankly, who hasn’t had a memory lapse during an important pitch?), while managers use it to train their teams in real time. AI to cheat on exams? Now, let’s not be naive: many students saw this as an easy way to cheat on exams with AI . So its use in schools is a certainty. As a result, teachers are going to have to learn how to protect themselves against AI tools designed to encourage cheating at school. A varied customer base Furthermore, software engineers make up a significant proportion of our customer base, particularly when it comes to technical interviews. However, this practice raises important ethical questions in the professional environment (and this is where it gets tricky). Cluely AI tutorial video ➥ Controversies and ethical issues Cluely’s approach has divided the technology community. Its creators, suspended from Columbia University for having developed a similar system, fully assume their provocative positioning (they don’t go for half-measures). Despite the controversy surrounding their product, they have raised $5.3 million. Promising performance Tests carried out by specialist journalists reveal mixed performance, with significant latency times of up to 90 seconds. This slowness compromises the efficiency promised by the company’s marketing (as much as to say that 90 seconds is an eternity during an interview). That said, its performance should soon increase tenfold, and this kind of problem will soon be a thing of the past. Sounds promising! ➥ Alternatives and competitors on the market Several competing products are emerging in this emerging sector. Traditional business coaching tools like Gong or Chorus are taking a more transparent (and less polemical) approach, while other startups are developing similar AI assistants with different ethical stances. ➥ Outlook for Cluely Despite the controversy, Cluely claims 80,000 weekly active users according to the latest available data. For its part, SimilarWeb reports around 1.5 million visitors per month. As you can see, the company continues to improve its technical performance while navigating the regulatory gray areas of various countries (an ongoing balancing act). ➥ Cluely AI Reviews Without doubt, this new technology raises questions about the evolution of professional exchanges and the place of artificial intelligence in our human discussions. Nevertheless, its commercial success demonstrates that there is a real demand for this type of digital assistance. ➥ FAQ – Frequently asked questions about Cluely Who can use Cluely? + The tool mainly targets sales teams, recruiters and software engineers. However, its use raises important ethical questions, particularly in the context of job interviews where transparency is expected. Is Cluely really undetectable? + Despite marketing promises, a number of journalistic tests reveal significant limitations. Latency times can sometimes be long, and user behavior (looking away to read suggestions) can betray artificial assistance. Is this tool legal? + Legality depends on the context of use and jurisdiction. Cluely has not made a clear statement on GDPR compliance, which poses problems in Europe. In certain contexts (reviews, formal interviews), its use may violate organizations’ internal regulations. What is Cluely’s actual performance? + Independent tests show mixed results. AI can generate factual hallucinations, invent non-existent skills or omit real qualifications. The founders acknowledge that the product is still “in a very raw state”. Who are the creators of Cluely? + Roy Lee (also known as Chungin Lee) and Neel Shanmugam, two Columbia University alumni. How much money did Cluely raise? + The startup raised $5.3 million in its seed phase, followed by a $15 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) , valuing the company at around $120 million. How many people use Cluely? + According to the latest available data, Cluely claims 80,000 weekly active users. The platform is becoming increasingly popular, and its future looks bright. Are there more ethical alternatives? + Yes, tools like tl;dv make it possible to record and analyze meetings with the consent of participants. These solutions encourage learning and improvement without resorting to concealment, making them more sustainable in the long term. Does Cluely run on Windows? + Cluely currently runs on both Mac and Windows. What are the risks of using Cluely? + Risks include disciplinary consequences (exclusion from exams, dismissal), legal problems linked to data confidentiality, and damage to professional reputation. The tool can also create a dependency that hinders the development of real skills. Visit Cluely website