Columbia Student Faces Disciplinary Action for Using AI in Tech Interviews

A Columbia University student utilized an AI tool to navigate through technical interviews at major tech firms, leading to job offers and a subsequent disciplinary hearing.

Roy Lee, a sophomore at Columbia University, is making waves—and not just in the coding world. He’s caught in a storm of controversy for using his own AI creation, Interview Coder, to land internships at tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and TikTok. And guess what? He’s decided to drop out of Columbia over the whole mess. Lee’s stance? His tool just exposes how outdated those grueling tech interviews really are.

Let’s talk about those interviews for a sec. If you’ve ever tried to get a foot in the door at a FAANG company, you know the drill: solve some brain-melting coding problem while someone watches over your shoulder. It’s enough to make anyone sweat. Lee, after going through this gauntlet himself, built Interview Coder to take the edge off—automating the problem-solving part so candidates can focus on not losing their cool.

Here’s where it gets juicy. Lee aced interviews at Amazon, Meta, and TikTok with his AI sidekick. But when he posted his Amazon interview on YouTube, the backlash was swift. Cheating accusations flew, and Columbia slapped him with a disciplinary hearing. Lee’s response? A no-show, arguing that AI is gonna make human brainwork obsolete anyway (bold move, Roy).

This whole saga has the programming community buzzing. Is AI the future of tech hiring, or is it cheating? While everyone’s busy debating, Lee’s already moved on to selling Interview Coder subscriptions. Love him or hate him, he’s turning his scandal into a shot across the bow of tech’s hiring practices. Talk about making lemonade.