AI cheating startup Cluely went viral last week after promoting a hidden in-browser tool it claimed was “undetectable” and usable to “cheat on everything” — from job interviews to exams.
Now, startups like Validia and Proctaroo say they’ve developed tools to catch Cluely users in the act.
Validia and Proctaroo Respond with Detection Software
Validia, based in San Francisco, launched a free tool called “Truely” in direct response to Cluely. According to the company, Truely can “trigger an alarm” if it detects the Cluely app running.
Meanwhile, Rhode Island-based Proctaroo also claims its system can identify users of Cluely.
“When a Proctaroo session is active, we can see running applications and ‘hidden’ background processes — Cluely is no different,”
said Proctaroo CEO Adrian Aamodt, who also criticized Cluely’s approach as “unethical.”
Cluely Dismisses Critics and Teases Hardware Future
Cluely’s CEO Chungin “Roy” Lee pushed back on the new anti-cheating products, comparing them to “years of failed cheating crackdowns in the video game industry.”
Lee hinted that Cluely’s next move might render software detection irrelevant:
“Whether it’s smart glasses, a transparent glass screen overlay, a recording necklace, or even a brain chip, we’re not sure,”
he said, adding that building hardware to avoid detection is “quite trivial technologically,” despite setbacks like the Humane AI Pin.
Cluely Softens Messaging Amid Scrutiny
After public criticism, Cluely has made changes to its website and public materials. It has scrubbed references to cheating on exams and job interviews, which were once major selling points. Now, Cluely only mentions cheating on things like sales calls and meetings.
According to Lee, Cluely is “redefining” its positioning and targeting “the largest and most impactful markets.”
“Ultimately, we see a future where everyone uses AI to its utmost potential,”
Lee told TechCrunch,
“and that means planting in large, specific markets, and expanding out from there.”
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