Is Cluely AI Copied? The Glass Controversy and Open-Source Ethics

n July 3, 2025, Daniel from Pickle AI (@leinadpark) announced Glass, a free, open-source AI desktop assistant touted as a rival to Cluely AI, claiming it was built in just four days.

Promising real-time meeting assistance with no paywalls and plans for local LLMs, Glass seemed like a bold innovation.

But the open-source community quickly raised alarms, with developer @soham_btw accusing Pickle AI of copying his GPLv3-licensed project, @cheating_daddy, and re-licensing it under Apache 2.0—a move that violates open-source rules.

What Is Cluely AI?

Cluely AI, founded by Roy Lee and Neel Shanmugam, is a San Francisco-based startup that gained notoriety for its AI-powered desktop assistant.

Marketed as a tool to “cheat on everything,” Cluely provides real-time, undetectable support during job interviews, sales calls, and exams via a hidden browser overlay.

Its website compares Cluely to calculators and spellcheck, arguing that AI assistance is the next step in human-computer collaboration. With $15 million in funding from Andreessen Horowitz and $7 million in annual recurring revenue, Cluely has sparked both admiration and backlash for promoting deception in professional and academic settings.

Pickle AI

Founded in 2024 by Sanio Jung, Chris Kang, Emmett Kim, Daniel Park, and Ho Jin Yu, Pickle AI is a San Francisco-based, Y Combinator-backed startup with seven employees.

Its mission is to create “living digital clones” for users, with Glass as “Step 1” to process daily data into scalable AI avatars.

Pickle also offers a virtual avatar for video calls, lip-syncing in real-time to replace live camera feeds, addressing Zoom fatigue for remote workers, students, and professionals.

The tool, available on macOS, has gained traction for enabling multitasking during calls but raised ethical concerns about transparency in professional settings.

The Glass Controversy

@soham_btw alleged that Glass, pitched as an open-source alternative to Cluely, was a direct copy of his project, @cheating_daddy, which itself mirrors Cluely’s functionality.

He pointed to identical code comments and library versions, claiming Pickle AI “yoinked” his GPLv3 code and re-licensed it under Apache 2.0, violating GPLv3’s requirement that derivative works remain under the same license.

Soham argued that forking his project legally would have been acceptable, but Pickle AI misrepresented Glass as original work.

X users amplified the issue, noting that @cheating_daddy itself resembles Cluely, revealing a tangled web of potential intellectual theft in the AI assistant space.

Pickle AI’s Response

On July 4, 2025, Daniel admitted the error, acknowledging that Glass included @cheating_daddy’s code but was incorrectly labeled Apache 2.0. Pickle AI promised a fix, but the community criticized the team for ethical lapses and questioned the plausibility of building Glass in four days.

Cluely AI’s Shadow

The controversy draws parallels to Cluely’s own contentious history. Founders Lee and Shanmugam were suspended from Columbia University for creating Interview Coder, an AI tool to cheat on technical interviews, which evolved into Cluely.

Their viral marketing, including a video of Lee using Cluely to lie on a date, has fueled ethical debates about AI-assisted deception. Critics argue Cluely undermines trust in hiring and education, while supporters see it as a disruptive productivity tool.

Open-Source Ethics at Stake

The Glass incident highlights the importance of respecting open-source licenses. GPLv3 ensures code remains open, but re-licensing under Apache 2.0 allows proprietary use, betraying community trust.

Startups like Pickle AI face pressure to innovate quickly, but cutting corners risks legal and reputational damage. The open-source community’s swift response on X shows its power to enforce accountability.

Is Cluely AI copied? While Glass appears to copy @cheating_daddy, which mimics Cluely’s features, the deeper issue is ethical. Both projects raise questions about integrity in AI development.

As startups race for market share, respecting open-source principles is crucial to maintaining trust. What do you think about this cycle of copying in AI? Share your thoughts below!