[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"nav-categories":3,"article-the-ai-cheating-assistant-drama-cluely-s-meteoric-rise-pickle-s-open-source-clone-and-a-code-theft-scandal":70},{"data":4},[5,37,57,64],{"name":6,"slug":7,"categories":8},"Productivity","productivity",[9,13,17,21,25,29,33],{"id":10,"title":11,"slug":12},17,"Branding","branding",{"id":14,"title":15,"slug":16},19,"Marketing","marketing",{"id":18,"title":19,"slug":20},20,"Work","work",{"id":22,"title":23,"slug":24},34,"Community","community",{"id":26,"title":27,"slug":28},21,"For newbies","for-newbies",{"id":30,"title":31,"slug":32},24,"Investment","investment",{"id":34,"title":35,"slug":36},22,"Finance","finance",{"name":38,"slug":39,"categories":40},"Tech","tech",[41,45,49,53],{"id":42,"title":43,"slug":44},28,"Technology","technology",{"id":46,"title":47,"slug":48},32,"Artificial Intelligence","artificial-intelligence",{"id":50,"title":51,"slug":52},26,"Security and protection","security-and-protection",{"id":54,"title":55,"slug":56},31,"YouTube Blog","youtube-blog",{"name":58,"slug":59,"categories":60},"News","news",[61],{"id":62,"title":58,"slug":63},18,"quasanews",{"name":65,"slug":66,"categories":67},"Business","business",[68],{"id":69,"title":65,"slug":66},16,{"post":71,"published_news":96,"popular_news":154,"categories":217},{"title":72,"description":73,"meta_title":72,"meta_description":74,"meta_keywords":75,"text":76,"slug":77,"created_at":78,"publish_at":79,"formatted_created_at":80,"category_id":62,"links":81,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":86,"likes":87,"lang":88,"comments_count":89,"category":90},"The AI 'Cheating' Assistant Drama: Cluely's Meteoric Rise, Pickle's Open-Source Clone, and a Code Theft Scandal","In the fast-paced world of consumer AI tools, few products have sparked as much controversy—and rapid success—as Cluely, the \"cheating\" desktop assistant that provides real-time notes, prompts, and insights during calls or meetings.","In a space where tools literally help users \"cheat\" conversations, the real cheating allegations add ironic spice. As one commenter quipped: \"Cheating the cheaters.","This saga encapsulates 2025's AI gold rush: provocative products boom via hype, open-source clones challenge incumbents overnight, but shortcuts risk backlash","\u003Cp>In the fast-paced world of consumer AI tools, few products have sparked as much controversy — and rapid success — as \u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/how-companies-hook-us-with-rage-the-cluely-case\">\u003Cstrong>Cluely\u003C/strong>\u003C/a>, the "cheating" desktop assistant that provides real-time notes, prompts, and insights during calls or meetings.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Launched in early 2025 by founder Roy Lee (also known as Chungin Li), \u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/projects/cluely\">Cluely's provocative marketing\u003C/a> — positioning it as a way to "cheat on everything" — went viral, landing \u003Cstrong>$15 million\u003C/strong> in funding from heavyweights like Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Abstract Ventures, and Susa Ventures, at a \u003Cstrong>$120 million\u003C/strong> valuation just months after debut.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>The enterprise version, released in mid-2025, supercharged growth\u003C/strong>: annualized recurring revenue (ARR) reportedly doubled from \u003Cstrong>$3 million\u003C/strong> to \u003Cstrong>$7 million\u003C/strong> in a single week, driven by demand for real-time transcription and note-taking in professional settings.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"image-align-left\" height=\"169\" src=\"https://quasa.io/storage/photos/00/image - 2025-12-17T143526.968.jpg\" width=\"300\" />\u003Ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etizoRCn0B0\">But Cluely's closed-source, paid model ($20/month for full features) drew swift competition\u003C/a>. Enter \u003Cstrong>Pickle\u003C/strong>, a Y Combinator-backed startup, which on \u003Cstrong>July 3, 2025\u003C/strong>, announced \u003Cstrong>Glass \u003C/strong>— a free, open-source alternative built in just \u003Cstrong>4 days\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Founder Daniel Park (@danifesto) positioned it as superior: \u003Ca href=\"https://x.com/leinadpark/status/1940826326052769949\">sharper UI, no paywalls (bring your own API key or use theirs), and full trust via open code, especially important for tools capturing screen and audio\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Glass exploded: over \u003Cstrong>3,300 stars\u003C/strong> and hundreds of forks on GitHub within days, with viral demos showcasing seamless real-time assistance.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>The triumph was short-lived. On \u003Cstrong>July 4, 2025\u003C/strong>, developer S\u003Cstrong>oham\u003C/strong> (@soham_btw) \u003Ca href=\"https://x.com/soham_btw/status/1940952786491027886\">publicly accused\u003C/a> Pickle of stealing code from his GPLv3-licensed project \u003Cstrong>Cheating Daddy \u003C/strong>— a similar open-source AI desktop tool. Side-by-side comparisons showed near-identical code, comments, and even library versions, but Glass was initially released under the incompatible Apache 2.0 license, violating GPLv3 terms.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"image-align-right\" height=\"166\" src=\"https://quasa.io/storage/photos/01/2025-04-25_20-48-23.png\" width=\"300\" />Soham called it out bluntly: "you yoinked a gpl-v3 code, slapped an apache license on it, and called it a startup." The thread garnered massive attention, tagging Y Combinator's Garry Tan.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Park quickly responded, admitting the oversight ("Since this was our first OSS project, we didn’t realize at first"), revising the license, and thanking Soham for the contribution. Drama ensued, with community debates on open-source ethics versus startup velocity.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>This saga encapsulates 2025's AI gold rush\u003C/strong>: provocative products boom via hype, open-source clones challenge incumbents overnight, but shortcuts risk backlash. Cluely thrives on proprietary edges and enterprise sales; Pickle bets on community and altruism ("building a living digital clone for everyone"). Yet the incident highlights how "velocity" can veer into ethical gray zones.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>In a space where tools literally help users "cheat" conversations, the real cheating allegations add ironic spice. As one commenter quipped: "Cheating the cheaters." For now, both projects persist — Glass refined and properly licensed — but the episode serves as a cautionary tale: in open-source AI, credit (and licenses) matter as much as code.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"image-align-left\" height=\"170\" src=\"https://quasa.io/storage/photos/01/2025-04-25_20-47-46.png\" width=\"300\" />\u003Cstrong>Also read:\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cul>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/spotify-s-aggressive-video-push-leaked-deck-reveals-bid-to-challenge-youtube-with-non-exclusive-creator-deals\">Spotify's Aggressive Video Push: Leaked Deck Reveals Bid to Challenge YouTube with Non-Exclusive Creator Deals\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/instagram-reels-hits-the-big-screen-meta-launches-instagram-for-tv-on-amazon-fire-tv\">Instagram Reels Hits the Big Screen: Meta Launches 'Instagram for TV' on Amazon Fire TV\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/trump-s-u-s-tech-force-bringing-silicon-valley-talent-to-federal-service\">Trump's U.S. Tech Force: Bringing Silicon Valley Talent to Federal Service\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/the-paradox-of-ai-dual-truths-that-challenge-our-understanding\">The Paradox of AI: Dual Truths That Challenge Our Understanding\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\u003Cp>Author: \u003Ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/slava-vasipenok/\">Slava Vasipenok\u003C/a>\u003Cbr />\nFounder and CEO of QUASA (quasa.io) - Daily insights on Web3, AI, Crypto, and Freelance. Stay updated on finance, technology trends, and creator tools - with sources and real value.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Innovative entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in IT, fintech, and blockchain. Specializes in decentralized solutions for freelancing, helping to overcome the barriers of traditional finance, especially in developing regions.\u003C/p>","the-ai-cheating-assistant-drama-cluely-s-meteoric-rise-pickle-s-open-source-clone-and-a-code-theft-scandal","2025-12-17T13:37:04.000000Z","2025-12-25T11:32:00.000000Z","25.12.2025",{"image":82,"thumb":83},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/Ugc7jQK5UTh1HHnCiCWZKF8iYqovrQQMZggP12Lm.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Ugc7jQK5UTh1HHnCiCWZKF8iYqovrQQMZggP12Lm.jpg","small",null,1487,1,"en",0,{"id":62,"title":58,"slug":63,"meta_title":91,"meta_description":92,"meta_keywords":93,"deleted_at":85,"created_at":94,"updated_at":95,"lang":88},"Tech, AI, Crypto, and Business News: Latest Insights | QUASA","Daily news and deep analysis on AI, cryptocurrencies, and key business trends. Find out what's next for the markets. Stay informed with QUASA.","AI news, crypto news, blockchain news, IT news, market analysis, business trends, latest technology news today, artificial intelligence news, major crypto events, future of tech news","2021-08-09T19:09:44.000000Z","2025-11-25T11:25:45.000000Z",[97,110,121,132,143],{"title":98,"description":99,"slug":100,"created_at":101,"publish_at":101,"formatted_created_at":102,"category":103,"links":104,"view_type":107,"video_url":85,"views":108,"likes":89,"lang":88,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":109},"Jaxx Liberty for Cross-Device Crypto Management","A practical article about Jaxx Liberty as a cross-platform blockchain wallet with portfolio tools, exchange access, and block explorer features for daily crypto management.","jaxx-liberty-for-cross-device-crypto-management","2026-04-08T12:21:43.000000Z","08.04.2026",{"title":35,"slug":36},{"image":105,"thumb":106},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/2BoYmDUS7F9wHE0dwpD2KUpX702LkL1Spp2KC5Vm.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/2BoYmDUS7F9wHE0dwpD2KUpX702LkL1Spp2KC5Vm.jpg","large",682,false,{"title":111,"description":112,"slug":113,"created_at":114,"publish_at":115,"formatted_created_at":102,"category":116,"links":117,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":120,"likes":89,"lang":88,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":109},"Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Proposes Paying Engineers with AI Tokens","Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has put forward a radical new idea for compensating tech talent: paying engineers part of their salary in AI tokens.","nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-proposes-paying-engineers-with-ai-tokens","2026-03-25T19:56:16.000000Z","2026-04-08T11:48:00.000000Z",{"title":19,"slug":20},{"image":118,"thumb":119},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/KL5Yqt5ZzW3R4cu7XmE15grrRHdKZ1WBoKbC6Zu3.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/KL5Yqt5ZzW3R4cu7XmE15grrRHdKZ1WBoKbC6Zu3.jpg",738,{"title":122,"description":123,"slug":124,"created_at":125,"publish_at":126,"formatted_created_at":102,"category":127,"links":128,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":131,"likes":89,"lang":88,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":109},"The AI Scientist Hits Nature: Scaling Scientific Discovery Like Code","The dream of a fully autonomous laboratory has moved from the realm of \"experimental demo\" to a validated scientific reality. The AI Scientist, a pioneering system designed to automate the entire lifecycle of research, has officially been published in Nature.","the-ai-scientist-hits-nature-scaling-scientific-discovery-like-code","2026-03-25T19:23:02.000000Z","2026-04-08T09:15:00.000000Z",{"title":47,"slug":48},{"image":129,"thumb":130},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/QZJ74ZuxTmCA52qWq4HZkP2WikrOYpg6WBusDdyn.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/QZJ74ZuxTmCA52qWq4HZkP2WikrOYpg6WBusDdyn.jpg",814,{"title":133,"description":134,"slug":135,"created_at":136,"publish_at":137,"formatted_created_at":102,"category":138,"links":139,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":142,"likes":89,"lang":88,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":109},"Nostalgia Is Still King: Retro Video Rental Store Simulator Is a Massive Hit on Steam","In the age of instant streaming, it turns out a surprising number of people — including many who were born after Blockbuster went bankrupt — are craving the simple joy of renting physical movies.","nostalgia-is-still-king-retro-video-rental-store-simulator-is-a-massive-hit-on-steam","2026-03-25T18:41:36.000000Z","2026-04-08T06:35:00.000000Z",{"title":43,"slug":44},{"image":140,"thumb":141},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/VvOooYMc2244q5hTV6Or5OMgr8schTPlzU8b4HXY.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/VvOooYMc2244q5hTV6Or5OMgr8schTPlzU8b4HXY.jpg",817,{"title":144,"description":145,"slug":146,"created_at":147,"publish_at":148,"formatted_created_at":102,"category":149,"links":150,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":153,"likes":89,"lang":88,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":109},"Hollywood Is Shrinking — And the Real Villain Isn’t Strikes or Wildfires, It’s the Government","American film and television production is in serious decline, and last week a surprisingly candid hearing in Burbank made one thing crystal clear: the biggest problem isn’t greedy studios, lazy writers, or California wildfires.","hollywood-is-shrinking-and-the-real-villain-isn-t-strikes-or-wildfires-it-s-the-government","2026-03-25T18:29:29.000000Z","2026-04-08T03:21:00.000000Z",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":151,"thumb":152},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/RZriu0EWvrhbleBD7g7RJnhk1QyPm4DDZeesC0bC.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/RZriu0EWvrhbleBD7g7RJnhk1QyPm4DDZeesC0bC.jpg",893,[155,168,181,193,205],{"title":156,"description":157,"slug":158,"created_at":159,"publish_at":160,"formatted_created_at":161,"category":162,"links":163,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":166,"likes":167,"lang":88,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":109},"The Anatomy of an Entrepreneur","Entrepreneur is a French word that means an enterpriser. Enterprisers are people who undertake a business or enterprise with the chance of earning profits or suffering from loss.","the-anatomy-of-an-entrepreneur","2021-08-04T15:18:21.000000Z","2025-12-14T06:09:00.000000Z","14.12.2025",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":164,"thumb":165},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/mVsXPTMuHZuI7UXCsENgL1Qwp1uSOf7Rz3uVPMfm.webp","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/mVsXPTMuHZuI7UXCsENgL1Qwp1uSOf7Rz3uVPMfm.webp",67791,2,{"title":169,"description":170,"slug":171,"created_at":172,"publish_at":173,"formatted_created_at":174,"category":175,"links":176,"view_type":107,"video_url":85,"views":179,"likes":180,"lang":88,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":109},"Advertising on QUASA","QUASA MEDIA is read by more than 400 thousand people a month. We offer to place your article, add a link or order the writing of an article for publication.","advertising-on-quasa","2022-07-06T07:33:02.000000Z","2025-12-15T17:33:02.000000Z","15.12.2025",{"title":58,"slug":63},{"image":177,"thumb":178},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.jpg",67152,4,{"title":182,"description":183,"slug":184,"created_at":185,"publish_at":186,"formatted_created_at":187,"category":188,"links":189,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":192,"likes":180,"lang":88,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":109},"What is a Startup?","A startup is not a new company, not a tech company, nor a new tech company. You can be a new tech company, if your goal is not to grow high and fast; then, you are not a startup. ","what-is-a-startup","2021-08-04T12:05:17.000000Z","2025-12-17T13:02:00.000000Z","17.12.2025",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":190,"thumb":191},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/EOsQhSW3VXyG7a6NPdE1oZd00xfJXe3bjY5aJGb7.webp","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/EOsQhSW3VXyG7a6NPdE1oZd00xfJXe3bjY5aJGb7.webp",65469,{"title":194,"description":195,"slug":196,"created_at":197,"publish_at":198,"formatted_created_at":199,"category":200,"links":201,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":204,"likes":167,"lang":88,"comments_count":87,"is_pinned":109},"Top 5 Tips to Make More Money as a Content Creator","Content creators are one of the most desired job titles right now. Who wouldn’t want to earn a living online?","top-5-tips-to-make-more-money-as-a-content-creator","2022-01-17T17:31:51.000000Z","2026-01-17T11:30:00.000000Z","17.01.2026",{"title":19,"slug":20},{"image":202,"thumb":203},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.jpg",39952,{"title":206,"description":207,"slug":208,"created_at":209,"publish_at":210,"formatted_created_at":211,"category":212,"links":213,"view_type":107,"video_url":85,"views":216,"likes":167,"lang":88,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":109},"8 Logo Design Tips for Small Businesses","Your logo tells the story of your business and the values you stand for.","8-logo-design-tips-for-small-businesses","2021-12-04T21:59:52.000000Z","2025-05-05T03:30:00.000000Z","05.05.2025",{"title":15,"slug":16},{"image":214,"thumb":215},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.jpg",39376,[218,219,220,221,222,223,224,225,226,227,228,229,230],{"title":23,"slug":24},{"title":47,"slug":48},{"title":55,"slug":56},{"title":43,"slug":44},{"title":51,"slug":52},{"title":31,"slug":32},{"title":35,"slug":36},{"title":27,"slug":28},{"title":19,"slug":20},{"title":15,"slug":16},{"title":58,"slug":63},{"title":11,"slug":12},{"title":65,"slug":66}]