Cluely Review: The Controversial AI Assistant Blurring Lines Between Help & Cheating

Overview
Cluely is a background-running AI assistant that displays real-time answers on your screen—without alerting anyone. Originally designed for job-interview cheating, it has been rebranded as a productivity aid but maintains its discreet modus operandi techtimes.com+1businessinsider.com+1.

Pros

• Real-time help: Continuously analyzes your screen to suggest answers.

• Discrete integration: Designed to blend into normal workflows.

• Viral user adoption: Driven adoption via controversial marketing and TikTok challenges

Cons

• Ethical gray zone: Its origins in cheating evoke major trust questions.

• Legal & institutional risk: Could violate policies in exams or workplaces.

• Privacy concerns: Monitoring screen content raises serious security flags.

Comparative View

• ChatGPT / Claude: Powerful assistants but require manual input—no screen watching.

• Synapse AI: Offers screen-based summarization but no live guidance.

• Copilot (GitHub): Great for coding but focused on dev tasks, not live support.

Cluely’s unique edge is its ambient, context‑aware assistance—but that same stealth is what triggers alarm bells about misuse.

Sources :

https://www.startus-insights.com/innovators-guide/generative-ai-trendshttps://www.techtimes.com/articles/310940/20250621/cluely-raises-15m-scale-controversial-undetectable-ai-tool-screen-based-assistance.htm