Is it morally right to cheat with AI? Contradictory products deal with this idea in different ways.
I saw an article on TechCrunch discussing Cluely (created by Chungin “Roy” Lee and Neel Shanmugam).
TL;DR: The AI tool, originally developed to cheat on software engineering interviews, now helps users cheat on exams, sales calls, and job interviews through a hidden in-browser window. And now has raised $5+ million.
A lot of people started talking about whether this was morally right.
On the other hand, we have tools that try to prevent "AI cheating," e.g. Sherlock.
The truth is that we don't have to memorise anymore. In this decade, we've gone from googling to chatgpting, and the skill (in general) will be the option to collaborate with AI.
Is using AI this way a good or bad thing?
Whatever your take is, let's discuss and defend your approach.
Replies
Some call it genius. Others call it unethical.
But here’s the truth:
We’ve moved from googling to “chatGPT-ing.”
The real skill today isn’t memorizing — it’s knowing how to collaborate with AI.
Using AI isn’t bad.
Lying with it is.
If someone uses AI to fake knowledge, everyone loses.
If someone uses it to enhance their ability, everyone wins.
Maybe it’s time we stop asking “Is this cheating?”
And start asking, “Is this honest?”
Let’s build with integrity — not just intelligence.
@prahemant001 Great answer. 👏💯
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@prahemant001 Yep, I would highlight the collaboration with AI as a skill. Something like a skill to react promptly to changes and be flexible enough :)
• Is it morally right to cheat with AI? No!
• Is using AI this way a good or bad thing?
Imho, using AI in that way is a really bad thing that only promotes deceiving behaviors and laziness.
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@terabitcoins I share that part about laziness, but still think that if we can use it properly, we can learn many things. But that depends on the mindset of the people whether they are open to learning :)
@busmark_w_nika Yes, I agree. We can use AI for good and learn from it. My answer was to your specific questions, not about a fair and responsible way to use AI in general.
I’ve always seen AI as a sidekick, not a replacement—like a supercharged assistant. Relying on it 100% feels... off. What’s left for our brains to do? 🧠
For exams/interviews, using AI to cheat is sketchy. The whole point is to test your skills, right? If the result doesn’t reflect your actual ability, why even bother? Might as well drop out and let AI live your life. 😅
But in other cases—like crunching data faster or brainstorming ideas—AI’s just a tool. It’s not ‘cheating’ if you’re still driving the process. Context matters!
Also, a tool built for cheating raising millions? Wild times.
@rani_zagita Wild times indeed, but humanity is supposed to have learned from past mistakes and be more civilized.
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@rani_zagita This is true, it is not honest and authentic. The line between fake and real is shrinking.
Using AI for cheating is unethical, because cheating is unethical. Throughout time, people have always cheated, this is just a new tool.
Is using AI this way a good or bad thing? I think it's neither. If companies want to avoid candidates from using AI in their interviews, then do an in-person interview. Someone who is going to cheat will find a way to cheat.
I think this Sherlock is actually worse than the original problem... These kinds of human classifiers are bad at judging people. AI classification based on images has routinely been shown to be sensitive to factors we don't expect, like the color of your skin, your shirt, or the wall behind you. I can see this software causing more problems than the original problem of AI cheating.
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@appsforhumans Sherlock was just an example because I wanted to point out that different companies/people have different approaches to this, and it seems that Cluely (which supports cheating) has a bigger success than other tools.
Well whether it's moral or not, I think it surely will force companies to change the tech interview process. I think there will be a shift to putting less emphasis on the classic leetcode and system design, and more of applicable task-based pair-coding or take-home projects.
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@seanphwang I think that during take-home projects there is a higher risk of using AI.
AI and anti-AI products will only continue to evolve and balance each other, and rather than dwell on that, I think an face-to-face interview would be a good way to skip that.
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@onbing But will not remote work then suffer? I mean, if we want to see people face-to-face, will the remote work be restricted?
I don’t support using AI tools during exams or interviews, that really feels like cheating, because the output isn’t coming from you, it’s coming from the AI. The purpose of those situations is to assess your abilities.
That said, I think using AI tools assist with learning or work tasks is completely fine, it’s a tool that can help us do better, not a shortcut to bypass personal effort or accountability.
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@evakk Yeah, the line between cheating and "honest use" is very thin. 😬
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@davidskr You chose a really good example! :D I covered this topic UGC (AI UGC) a few weeks ago, and it is not authentic anymore. We can agree that it really depends on the different POV of people who stand for their moral values. (which are different from person to person)
Product Hunt
This is a tough one. I would honestly say it comes down to what it's being used for and if there was an explicit mention to not use it. For example:
Job interview - if it's stated not to use it... then I wouldn't use it and I'd use it as an opportunity to ask the employer on their AI policies at work and how they are exploring it to improve what their doing (operations, creative, product, etc.)
Dating - honestly this is w/e to me. AI is a tool, if the other person disovers that you used this and don't like it, it's not a match... on the flip side, if it sparks a convo and the next date becomes AI Con 2028, then there you go.
For work - not cheating imo. It's a tool and how you use tools to get the job done is up to you.
Ultimately these solutions are tools and I believe if you're using it to enhance your skills, not replace them, then it's fine as long as it's not prohibited in the circumstance. Applying for a math job but need AI to pass the interview? Probs not a fit, so not morally good plus you're going to hate your life.
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@gabe
All the examples you mentioned – from a moral standpoint, I personally wouldn’t use artificial intelligence in those cases. I would call that my ideal, desired state.
Reality: People use AI so excessively that it’s becoming the norm, and anyone who doesn’t use it loses their competitive advantage. It’s similar to choosing to walk everywhere instead of using a car. A person with a car can get farther and faster in a short time, while I walk, I would only cover a short distance and end up sweaty. 😅
I see people doing incredible things with AI and I already feel like I'm falling behind. :D
Lancepilot
From an ethical standpoint, no, it's not right. But AI can be used ethically as well.