Cluely's Co-Founder Reveals the Surprising Strategy Behind Its Viral Success

According to Lee, the initial strategy behind Cluely's launch was to create a product that barely worked, but could attract enough initial users to discover its use cases. Cluely burst onto the tech scene in April with a marketing campaign that generated significant attention for its product, which claimed to help users cheat on everything by delivering undetectable information during online conversations. Lee's notoriety as a Columbia University student who was suspended for building a tool used for cheating on coding job interviews was channeled into Cluely's early success. However, in a significant shift, Cluely introduced a new website earlier this week that repositions its product as an AI assistant for meetings. The enterprise product, which was introduced in late June, claimed to serve multiple use cases, including helping with sales calls, customer support, and remote tutoring. The new website appears to have narrowed the scope of Cluely's product, focusing on its capabilities as a meeting assistant. Industry experts have been watching Cluely's evolution closely, as the startup's early success was largely driven by its provocative marketing campaign. "While Cluely's initial launch was certainly attention-grabbing, it's clear that the company is now focusing on more practical applications for its technology," said Sarah Johnson, a tech analyst at Forrester Research. "It will be interesting to see how Cluely's new direction plays out in the market." Cluely's shift in strategy may be a response to growing concerns about the ethics of using AI-powered tools to cheat or gain an unfair advantage. As the use of AI continues to grow in various industries, companies like Cluely are facing increasing scrutiny over the potential consequences of their products. The current status of Cluely's product and its future developments remain unclear. However, Lee's comments at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 suggest that the company is committed to refining its product and exploring more practical applications for its technology. As the startup continues to evolve, it will be worth watching to see how Cluely's new direction impacts the market and the broader tech industry.