In the fast-paced world of artificial intelligence startups, few figures have stirred as much controversy and admiration as Chungin “Roy” Lee, the 21-year-old cofounder of Cluely, an AI tool often dubbed the “cheating app” for its role in helping users bypass traditional hurdles in education and job interviews. Lee’s latest pronouncements, detailed in a recent Business Insider profile, underscore a provocative thesis: engineers, despite their technical prowess, are ill-equipped to create viral content, and this deficiency is a primary reason many tech ventures fail to gain traction.

Lee argues that the engineering mindset—focused on building robust, scalable systems—clashes with the chaotic, attention-grabbing nature of viral marketing. He points to his own success at Cluely, which raised $15 million from Andreessen Horowitz and exploded in popularity through provocative social media campaigns, as evidence that startups need more than just code to succeed.

The Engineer’s Blind Spot in a Viral World

This perspective comes at a time when AI companies are proliferating, yet many struggle to break through the noise. According to Lee in the Business Insider piece, engineers often prioritize product perfection over public perception, leading to launches that fizzle out without the cultural buzz needed for user adoption. Cluely, by contrast, embraced “rage-baiting” tactics—deliberately controversial posts on platforms like X that sparked debates about cheating in education—to amass millions of views and users.

Lee’s background adds layers to this critique. A former Columbia University student who was suspended after using an early version of Cluely to ace an Amazon interview, as recounted in a San Francisco Standard feature, he transformed personal scandal into startup gold. Posts on X from influencers like Mario Nawfal highlight how this incident not only garnered Cluely widespread attention but also secured funding, illustrating Lee’s point that virality often trumps technical merit.

From Scandal to Startup Strategy

Cluely’s growth strategy, as Lee describes it, involves hiring not just engineers but influencers and designers who understand social dynamics. In another Business Insider report from earlier this year, Lee revealed offering salaries up to $1 million for founding engineers and $350,000 for designers, emphasizing a blend of skills to fuel viral momentum. This approach has drawn criticism, with some in the tech community, as noted in a Medium article by TheSummit, questioning whether Cluely represents an “AI bubble” fueled more by hype than substance.

Yet Lee’s influence extends beyond his company. He’s set to speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, where, according to TechCrunch announcements, he’ll discuss how rage-baiting cuts through AI saturation. This event underscores his rising status as a provocateur who challenges the engineer-led orthodoxy in Silicon Valley.

Implications for the Next Generation of Founders

For industry insiders, Lee’s views signal a shift: in an era where AI tools like Cluely promise to “cheat on everything,” as per his LinkedIn profile, success hinges on mastering narrative as much as algorithms. Critics argue this promotes superficiality, but proponents see it as pragmatic adaptation.

As Cluely eyes further expansion—potentially into brain-chip integrations, per the San Francisco Standard—Lee’s mantra serves as a wake-up call. Startups ignoring viral content risk obscurity, while those embracing it, like Cluely, redefine what’s possible in tech. Whether this leads to sustainable innovation or fleeting fame remains a debate echoing through boardrooms and social feeds alike.