'The Greatest Party That Never Was' — Police Shutdown Bash Hosted By 'Cheat On Everything' AI Tool Cluely
Cluely, the controversial AI startup, attempted to host an after-party for attendees of Y Combinator's AI Startup School but had the event shut down by San Francisco police before it could begin. The CEO, Roy Lee, promoted the party on social media to his 100,000 followers, leading to a massive turnout of over 2,000 people and causing disturbances in the neighborhood. Despite Lee claiming the invitations were only for friends and friends of friends, the situation escalated quickly, forcing police intervention to disperse the crowd and restore order. The incident highlights the challenges of managing large-scale events and the importance of proper planning and coordination.
Cluely, the controversial AI startup known for marketing itself as a tool to "cheat on everything," had its latest stunt shut down by San Francisco police before it could even start.
What Happened
On Monday night, Cluely CEO Roy Lee attempted to host an after-party for attendees of Y Combinator's AI Startup School, which featured tech heavyweights like Sam Altman, Satya Nadella, and Elon Musk, reported TechCrunch. Although Cluely is not affiliated with YC, Lee promoted the party on X to his 100,000 followers, saying to DM him for invites. "We only invited friends and friends of friends," Lee told the publication, adding that despite this "it just blew up way out of proportion."
According to Lee, over 2,000 people showed up, crowding the streets and blocking traffic. Police responded by shutting the event down before it began. "Cluely's aura is just too strong!" Lee was heard shouting outside as the party dissolved. Lee told the outlet that it had the potential to be the most iconic party in tech history — and perhaps, thanks to the story's lasting buzz, it has become “the most legendary party” that never actually took place. Taking to social media, he posted, "Hosted the greatest party that never was."
Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It's Important
Lee first gained local notoriety in San Francisco after a tweet of his went viral on X: he claimed Columbia University had suspended him and his co-founder for building an AI tool that could game software-engineering job interviews, the report said. The pair then spun that tool into a startup that runs a discreet browser window invisible to interviewers or proctors. Their marketing—initially infamous for the slogan "cheat on everything"—quickly caught fire online. In April, the company, now called Cluely, secured a $5.3 million seed round, and its tagline has softened to: "Everything you need. Before you ask," the report added.
Photo Courtesy: Melinda Nagy on Shutterstock.com
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link.
Read Next: Iran Says WhatsApp A Tool For Israeli Surveillance — Meta Hits Back, Calling It ‘False Reports’
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. © 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.