Working at Google is a dream many harbour, but getting there is not something many can achieve. However, in the world of AI, nothing is unachievable. A 21-year-old coder built a tool that helped people cheat their way into tech jobs. Chungin "Roy" Lee had offers from Amazon, Meta, and TikTok—basically, a dream lineup for any aspiring software engineer. But instead of joining Big Tech, the 21-year-old Columbia student decided to do something completely different, as per report by CNBC.
His startup, Interview Coder, gives software engineers real-time AI-generated answers during remote interviews. "Everyone codes with AI now," Lee told CNBC. "Why pretend we don’t?" But not everyone is on board—hiring managers are struggling to tell the difference between real skill and AI-assisted responses.
Remote hiring became the norm during the pandemic, and then AI tools like ChatGPT showed up and changed everything. Lee saw an opportunity.
His software is designed to be undetectable. It listens to interview questions, generates the best possible code, and even provides explanations candidates can recite and that too without setting off any alarms on Zoom or Google Meet.
Recruiters are frustrated with Lee’s discovery. "I’ll hear a long pause, a little 'Hmm,' and suddenly, there’s a perfect answer," says Anna Spearman, founder of Techie Staffing. "But when I ask them to explain their thought process, they struggle. That’s the giveaway."
Henry Kirk, co-founder of Studio.init, has spoken about the same thing. "More than half the candidates in virtual coding tests are using AI now. It’s getting harder to catch, " he told CNBC.
Lee isn’t the only one cashing in. Other services, like Leetcode Wizard, also help candidates "cheat" their way into top companies. Their argument? The traditional coding interview is outdated.
"I spent 600 hours grinding Leetcode," Lee told the daily. "It sucked. Why not use AI to make it easier?"
Interview Coder is already popular, with users paying $60 a month. Lee expects to hit $1 million in revenue by May.
Big Tech is trying to fight back. Google is considering bringing back in-person interviews, and Amazon now makes candidates confirm they won’t use AI tools. "We need to know they actually have the skills," Kirk says.
As for Lee? He’s moving to San Francisco to scale up his business. "I never wanted to work for Big Tech," he says. "I just wanted to prove a point. And I think I have."
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