Introduction to the Controversy

A student at Columbia University, Roy Lee, is currently facing disciplinary action from his institution due to his use of an AI program to secure internships at several prominent tech companies, including Amazon, Meta, and TikTok. Lee has stated that he plans to leave the university and views the program he created as evidence that the jobs offered by these companies are becoming obsolete.

The Challenge of Big Tech Interviews

Obtaining a job at a Big Tech company, commonly referred to as FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google), is notoriously difficult. The interview process, particularly the technical interview, is a significant hurdle. During these interviews, potential software engineers are tasked with solving complex coding problems, often under the watchful eye of a company representative. This process can be daunting and has been criticized for its relevance to actual job responsibilities.

Roy Lee’s Experience

Lee, a sophomore who would have graduated in 2026 had he stayed, initially aimed to secure a degree from Columbia to pursue a career in Big Tech. However, his experience with technical interviews was overwhelmingly negative. He described it as one of the most miserable experiences he has had while programming, feeling compelled to endure it for the sake of landing a Big Tech job. The intense preparation, which included spending 600 hours training for technical interviews, led to him feeling like he was merely memorizing solutions rather than actually programming.

The Creation of Interview Coder

Dissatisfied with the current state of technical interviews, Lee developed a program called Interview Coder. This tool is designed to assist individuals in bypassing the technical interview process by leveraging AI to solve the coding problems. Lee claims that his program is undetectable by the monitoring software used by Big Tech companies. He demonstrated the program’s effectiveness by using it to pass technical interviews at Amazon, Meta, and TikTok, all of which offered him positions afterward.

Reaction from Big Tech Companies

Amazon declined to comment specifically on Lee’s case but stated that its recruitment process is evolving. A spokesperson from Amazon, Margaret Callahan, mentioned that while the company welcomes candidates to share their experiences with generative AI tools, it requires them to refrain from using unauthorized tools during interviews. Meta and TikTok did not respond to requests for comment.

Disciplinary Action and Aftermath

Lee recorded his entire technical interview with Amazon and posted it on YouTube, which led to someone accusing him of cheating and reporting it to Columbia. Consequently, Columbia scheduled a disciplinary hearing for March 11. Lee has chosen not to attend the hearing, citing his belief that the advent of Large Language Models (LLMs) will soon make human intelligence work obsolete. He has decided to focus on other pursuits and has even started selling subscriptions to Interview Coder.

Conclusion

Lee’s story highlights the controversy surrounding the technical interview process in Big Tech and the potential impact of AI on these processes. While his actions have sparked debate, they also underscore the need for a reevaluation of how tech companies assess candidates. As technology continues to evolve, the methods used to evaluate talent must also adapt to ensure they are relevant and fair. Lee’s decision to leave Columbia and his comments on the obsolescence of human work in tech due to LLMs add a layer of complexity to the discussion, emphasizing the rapid changes the industry is facing.