Hello followers! Today, let’s dive into a fascinating story about a startup called Cluely, which is making waves with its bold approach to AI and marketing.

Cluely is a company that claims to help people cheat on everything, and its rising has sparked some controversy, especially after raising $15 million from the venture firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). While some criticize the firm for backing a company with questionable uses, Cluely’s knack for grabbing attention through provocative marketing has caught many eyes.

This strategy is what attracted a16z. Bryan Kim, a partner at the firm, believed that in the era of AI, traditional marketing and slow product development may no longer suffice. Instead, moving fast and creating viral buzz became essential. Kim discovered Cluely when they managed to convert online awareness into paying customers early in their journey, despite having little to no functioning product at launch.

Founder Roy Lee explained that viral content often hinges on controversy, not necessarily on being highly intellectual. His team studied how TikTok and Instagram posts go viral, applying those principles on platforms like X (formerly Twitter). This approach generated massive impressions, even before the official product launch scheduled for June 27. Kim sees this rapid momentum-building as a strategic advantage in AI, where speed can serve as a kind of fortress or moat against competitors.

In a recent podcast, Lee shared that despite the lack of a fully developed product, the hype alone has attracted over 400,000 views and more engagement than many established startups. The key, he says, is to create buzz now because the product, when it eventually arrives, will generate even more excitement.

Kim emphasizes that in the AI world, trial and error happen quickly, and being able to adapt on the fly is crucial. Cluely exemplifies this philosophy — trying to build their ‘flying plane’ while rushing down the cliff, trusting their momentum to carry them forward or cause a crash.

So, the story of Cluely highlights a new mindset: speed and controversy might just be the new indicators of a startup’s potential success, especially in the high-stakes AI environment.