Cluely AI Review

What if you could ace that impossible job interview, effortlessly navigate a high-stakes sales call, or even conquer a daunting exam, all with a hidden advantage whispering answers in your ear? In this Cluely review, I will take you to explore this disruptive AI tool and see what it has to offer.

Compared to other productivity tools like the Fireflies AI, Cluely promises to be your secret weapon, designed to bypass detection and give you an edge. Yet, with such power comes immense controversy. Is it a game-changer, or a slippery slope towards eroded trust and compromised integrity?

Join me as we pull back the curtain on Cluely AI together, exploring its audacious claims, its real-world performance, and the fascinating, fraught implications of a tool built to help you "cheat on everything".

Cluely AI Review: Quick Overview

Before we jump straight into this Cluely AI review, let me give you a quick overview of this AI assistance. Getting to know a little about its background can help set the stage for understanding its unique approach to real-time support. Here's a quick look at some key facts:

Table: Cluely AI quick overview

With those facts in mind, you can already start to see the intriguing nature of Cluely AI. Now, let's dive deeper into what this tool actually promises to do, how it functions, and critically, whether it truly lives up to its bold claims.

Who's Cluely For?

What is Cluely AI, and who is its target market? First of all, it positions itself as a revolutionary AI assistant aimed at giving users an undeniable edge in various real-time, high-stakes scenarios. The core appeal, as highlighted on their homepage, is its discreet operation:

Cluely never shows up in shared screens, recordings, or external meeting tools.

This "invisible" quality is central to its value proposition, promising a hidden layer of support. So, what is Cluely AI trying to help you with? Primarily, it's pitched as your silent partner across three key areas:

📚 Read More: Enhance Meetings With ChatGPT Teams

Based on Cluely's marketing campaigns and homepage, it appears to target a specific range of individuals seeking a competitive advantage:

• Job seekers/interviewees;
• Sales professionals/account managers;
• Consultants;
• Developers/researchers.

In essence, Cluely is designed for anyone who desires an instantaneous, discreet knowledge boost and conversational support in scenarios where quick, accurate, and seemingly effortless responses are paramount. But, does it live up to its own promises? Keep reading as I will uncover the more nuanced part of this AI tool later in this Cluely review.

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Advantages

Looking through what it promotes, Cluely certainly paints a picture of effortless competence, offering solutions to common anxieties in high-pressure situations, or simply enhancing your solo workflow with its seamless integration.

So, what's genuinely appealing about having a super-smart AI assistant in your corner? Here are some key strengths of Cluely that I noticed during my time testing it using the free version on Windows:

• Real-time, context-aware assistance;
• Working stealthily in the background;
• Versatile application;
• Low barrier of entry.

Personally, I find that Cluely's main advantage is its ability to provide immediate, context-aware information. It's designed to understand your conversation or on-screen task and deliver relevant insights instantly. I put this to the test during some personal research.

While browsing YouTube, I pulled up the Crypto Finally Explained channel and simply prompted Cluely with, "Tell me more about this YouTube channel". Within moments, it provided a concise yet accurate summary of the channel's content, focus, and typical topics, all without me having to open a new tab or manually search.

I can see how this could be helpful in fast-paced scenarios, allowing you to react quickly and confidently without the hassle of switching tabs or windows constantly.

Cluely's marketing emphasizes its "undetectable" nature, and in my testing, this claim mostly seemed true for the user. The overlay window, where the AI's answers pop up, doesn't show up in normal screenshots I took on Windows. So, if you're sharing your screen in a meeting, only you can see Cluely's help.

Plus, I found that popular screen recording apps, like the NVIDIA overlay (which many gamers use), couldn't pick up Cluely's interface either. I even had to use my phone to manually take pictures of my screen for this Cluely review. But, yeah, the stealth feature works!

Additionally, Cluely is actually pretty flexible for different user needs. While most of the talk about it is for interviews and sales, it can do much more. You could be in an important work meeting and need facts right away, trying to understand tough topics during research, or even a coder debugging programs.

This flexibility makes it an interesting tool for getting things done and learning. It aims to stop you from constantly switching tabs or looking things up yourself, making your work process smoother.

Last but not least, getting started with Cluely is surprisingly simple, meaning it's really easy to jump in and use. You don't need to be a tech wizard to set it up or figure out its basic parts. Since there's a free version, anyone can download it and test out its main features without spending any money. Just like I did!

So far, what do you think of the Cluely AI app? Honestly, after checking out these upsides, it's easy to see why someone might be drawn to it. The idea of having that immediate, invisible help is pretty tempting, right?

But here's the thing: those benefits don't tell the whole story. Let's flip the coin and talk about where Cluely might not be quite so perfect.

Limitations

No tools are 100% perfect. Which means, Cluely also comes with its own downsides. During my time researching and testing the tool, I found several factors worth noting to make a proper consideration before trying Cluely yourself. These include:

• Extremely limited response on the free version;
• Significant privacy & regulatory concerns;
• Ethical & integrity compromise.

First, let's talk about what you'll get from a free version. Honestly, it's rather limited, with only a 100-character output limit. If you're hoping for anything more than just the bare-bones info on a topic, you'll be disappointed. In most cases, anything truly useful, like the real deep dive of the topic, is hidden behind a paywall. It's basically a tease, pushing you to upgrade if you want any real substance.

I'm not saying that this is a sketchy business model per se. In fact, the freemium business model is accountable for a total of more than 70% of the revenues^[1] of Apple AppStore in the US, which means this is actually pretty common. But my point is, if you're someone who doesn't want to spend a penny on Cluely and hoping to get something useful, you're probably out of luck.

Next up, we've got some pretty big concerns about privacy and regulations. Think about it: Cluely is an AI tool, which means it's probably scooping up tons of data, both public and maybe even some private stuff. So, where does all that data go? How is it being used? Are they playing by the rules when it comes to privacy laws like GDPR or CCPA?

If you're asking Cluely about people or sensitive topics, you might accidentally be feeding information into a system that isn't super clear about how it handles data. I'll cover more about this later in this Cluely AI review, but for us regular folks who care about our online privacy, and especially for businesses that have to stick to strict legal stuff, this can be a major red flag.

And finally, let's talk about how relying on Cluely could actually trip you up, especially in fast-paced situations like an interview. AI summaries risk oversimplifying or even repeating biases. Imagine quickly using Cluely for a stat during an interview. If the info is incomplete or skewed, it could throw off your flow, leading to fumbling or inaccuracies that damage your credibility.

Leaning on AI for quick answers in high-pressure scenarios can make you seem less prepared and knowledgeable than someone who's done their homework. It makes you question if it's truly the best tool for tasks demanding genuine understanding and confident delivery.

AI Response Quality

When it comes to the actual quality of Cluely's AI responses, things get a bit more nuanced than just "good" or "bad." Based on my time with it for this Cluely AI review, I'd say it's a mixed bag, and your mileage will definitely vary depending on what you're trying to do.

For basic queries, especially in the free version, as we've already seen, the responses are incredibly brief. It's like getting a headline when you really need the full article. This limitation means that for anything requiring depth or a nuanced understanding, the free tier falls short.

Now, if you upgrade and get access to those more powerful models, the quality jumps significantly. You'll likely receive more detailed, comprehensive, and well-structured answers. But, while it feels much more capable, you still need to be a discerning user and verify important information.

My honest opinion? Cluely can be a fantastic starting point for quickly gathering information or getting a summary, especially if you're subscribed. But calling it a "Cluely AI cheating tool" might be a bit of an overstatement for some scenarios, as it still requires your critical thinking and oversight.

If you're using it for something high-stakes, like preparing for an interview or making a critical decision, it should be a tool to aid your research, not replace it entirely. The quality is there for broader strokes, but for precision and absolute accuracy, human verification remains king.

Interface

In terms of user interface, the Cluely AI app is very minimalistic, and that's the whole point. It will appear as a small floating bar that overlays your screen, making it accessible no matter what you're currently working on. You won't see a dedicated window on your taskbar or its app icon on the system tray (if you're using Windows).

Looking at the design, I think it is safe to assume that Cluely encourages you to use the dedicated keyboard shortcuts. For example, you can ask the AI about what's currently shown on your screen using [Ctrl + Enter] on Windows. As I mentioned earlier in this Cluely AI review, this bar won't show on any screen-sharing functions, including regular screenshots.

Additionally, you'll get access to more features by going to your user's dashboard on Cluely's website. Here, you can check your session history, personalize context, or adjust other settings like account security and billings.

Pricing

As I covered earlier, you can use the Cluely AI cheating tool without spending money, as it operates in a freemium model. Let's take a look at Cluely's pricing model to help you understand it better:

Table: Cluely AI's pricing plans

Setting the response quality aside, I have to admit that this is a decent way to let more people try out what it has to offer. The free plan lets you get the taste of how the tool works and see if it actually fits your needs. But if you want the true experience of using Cluely, the Pro plan is the go-to.

You can opt for the $20 monthly plan or the annual plan for $100. By using the Pro plan, you'll get access to advanced features like unlimited responses, a conversation dashboard where you can track your sessions, and priority support. If you want to go beyond, Cluely also offers an Enterprise plan, perfect for large teams that need a fully customized experience.

Cluely's Regulatory Compliance

Looking through its pricing plan and marketing copies, it is pretty clear that the Cluely AI cheating tool is geared towards corporate clients for sales training and performance improvement. But before you decide to use this tool for your business, you need to make sure that it complies with your local (or international) regulations. Here is a quick overview of Cluely's legal status in five major jurisdictions:

Table: Cluely's legal status by jurisdictions

As you can see, Cluely's covert nature does not exactly comply with data protection laws in many jurisdictions. So, using it for scenarios that involve other parties, like an online meeting or a job interview, might put you in some legal trouble depending on where you live.

Data Collection, Storage, and User Rights

Another important aspect you need to understand before using the Cluely AI app is how it collects and handles all of your personal data. After all, having good data literacy is crucial^[2] when using most apps that involve giving your digital information to corporate entities. So, strap in as I take you to uncover the nuanced aspect of using Cluely AI by exploring its privacy policy.

First off, Cluely gathers your personal info from a few places. When you sign up, buy something, or just use it, it's collecting data directly from you. It also grabs stuff automatically when you use its desktop app. And here's the big one: if you give it permission, it can literally see and hear everything on your screen and in your calls.

Yes, it's designed to monitor "complete video and audio throughout a call". So, what you see and say, it sees and hears.

Now, where does all this collected data go? Well, Cluely might share it with other companies that help them run their service. Think hosting, payment processing, customer support, and even analytics. Plus, if Cluely ever gets bought out or goes bankrupt, your data could be part of the deal.

Cluely says it tries to protect your data with "appropriate technical and organizational measures", which sounds good. But, and this is a big "but," they also admit that nothing on the internet is "100% secure", so they "cannot guarantee its absolute security".

Depending on where you live, you might have rights to see, correct, or even delete your data, though there are always exceptions. They hold onto your info for as long as needed for their purposes, including legal stuff, then they say they'll delete or anonymize it.

Here's where it gets really interesting, and honestly, a bit concerning. Cluely's privacy policy has an "Important Notice" that explicitly says you have to tell everyone on a call that Cluely is recording and get their permission for audio. If someone says no, you have to turn off the audio. This totally clashes with their marketing claim of being "undetectable".

If you follow their privacy policy, the whole "undetectable" thing goes out the window. But if you don't follow it, you're potentially breaking privacy laws and company rules, putting yourself at serious legal risk. It's almost like Cluely is pushing you to use it covertly while making you legally responsible if things go south.

Beyond that, collecting such sensitive stuff like screen visuals and audio, and then sharing it with various "third-party service providers", means your highly confidential information (think company secrets, exam questions, personal interview details) is floating around in a system that admits it's not 100% secure.

Honestly, this is not a unique case in today's digital market. Many companies collect and sell your data, but when the product markets itself as a tool that works covertly while you're interacting online with other people, that's when it creates a huge, messy problem for you, dumping a ton of personal risk right in your lap.

📚 Related: The Enigmatic Future of AI

How to Use Cluely AI

Still interested in trying Cluely yourself? I got you! Let me show you how you can use the Cluely AI app. In this example, I will use the Windows version:

As you can see, getting started with the Cluely AI app is super easy. You don't need any technical expertise and I also appreciate that the app shows you the command shortcuts at all time so I don't have to remember them. All in all, it is clear that Cluely is designed to fit anyone regarless of their technical experience.

Cluely AI Alternatives

After reading this Cluely AI review, you might be wondering: "Is there any alternatives I can use to fufill my needs without relying on the Cluely AI cheating tool?". Don't worry! I've prepared two of my recommended options that can replace Cluely's role. Take a look and see if they match your preferences.

Cluely VS Fireflies.ai

If you're looking for a tool to help with your online meetings but are a bit wary of Cluely's approach, Fireflies.ai could be a fantastic alternative.

Essentially, Fireflies.ai is a super popular AI meeting assistant that records, transcribes, and summarizes your online conversations. Think of it as having a super-efficient note-taker in every meeting, ensuring you don't miss anything important.

It integrates with most major video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, and it's designed to be transparent about its presence. This is a key difference from Cluely: Fireflies.ai is built around the idea of assisting your meetings openly, not operating in the background without everyone's knowledge.

This immediately addresses those significant ethical and privacy concerns we talked about with Cluely, as participants are generally aware it's there. So, if your main goal is to simply manage and get insights from your online calls without the covert operations, Fireflies.ai steps in as a much safer and more widely accepted choice.

When it comes to cost, let's look at how it stacks up against what we know about Cluely AI pricing:

Table: Fireflies.ai pricing plans

Fireflies.ai offers more plans and when you compare the Pro offerings, this one is a bit cheaper than Cluely's at $18/month for the monthly subscription. Fireflies.ai also offers more features on its free plan, albeit with some limitations. So, if you specifically looking for a tool to assist your online meetings, this is worth considering.

📚 Read More: Fireflies.ai Review

Cluely VS Interview Sidekick

If you were drawn to Cluely because of its promise to help you during interviews, let me introduce you to Interview Sidekick. This is a fantastic alternative that focuses squarely on helping you ace your interviews, but in a way that's totally above board and actually prepares you, rather than just feeding you answers during the call.

Think of Interview Sidekick as your personal AI interview coach. Instead of trying to sneak answers, it helps you build confidence and refine your responses before the actual interview. It's all about practice and constructive feedback, which is way more effective for long-term success and maintaining your integrity. Here's why it's a solid alternative:

• Ethical & Transparent: No more worrying about hidden recordings or consent issues. It's all about open preparation.
• Real-time AI Feedback: You get instant analysis on your answers, tone, and pacing during mock interviews.
• Builds Genuine Confidence: It helps you learn and improve, so you're truly ready, not just relying on a crutch.
• Vast Question Library: Practice with a huge range of common interview questions relevant to various roles.

So, if nailing interviews is your goal, but you want to do it the right way, Interview Sidekick is definitely worth checking out.

📚 Read More: Best AI Tools

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Conclusions

Having an AI assistant that's always ready to help you and actively sees and hears everything on your screen and in your calls sounds pretty amazing on the surface, right? Cluely definitely tries to deliver on that futuristic promise, offering quick info and real-time support. It's built for those moments when you need an answer now.

However, as we've explored, that convenience comes with some pretty big asterisks. The free version is more of a teaser, the privacy implications of its covert operation are significant, and the ethical tightrope it makes users walk is a genuine concern.

Plus, while the Pro version might use powerful AI models, even they aren't foolproof, and relying on any AI too heavily in high-stakes, fast-paced situations can backfire on your credibility.

Ultimately, Cluely is still a tool and you still need to apply your own critical thinking and decision making. So now I'll let you decide. Does Cluely fit your preferences? Regardless, I hope that this Cluely AI review has helped you make a more educated decision.

The content published on this website is not aimed to give any kind of financial, investment, trading, or any other form of advice. BitDegree.org does not endorse or suggest you to buy or use any kind of AI tool. Before making financial investment decisions, do consult your financial advisor.

Scientific References

1. Panda B. K.: 'Application of Business Model Innovation for New Enterprises';

2. Pangrazio L., Selwyn N.: '‘Personal data literacies’: A Critical Literacies Approach to Enhancing Understandings of Personal Digital Data'.