Summary:
Cognition acquires Windsurf, offering employees a choice between a six-day workweek or a nine-month salary buyout
CEO Scott Wu declares no belief in work-life balance, emphasizing an "extreme performance culture"
Windsurf, with over a million users, features tools like Cascade and Tab for AI-powered coding
Google previously secured $2.4 billion rights to Windsurf's tech, hiring key figures including the former CEO
Wu's message to staff: "There's only one boat and we're all in it together", signaling a unified future under Cognition
Cognition's Acquisition of Windsurf Sparks Debate on Work Culture
In a surprising turn of events, AI coding startup Windsurf has been acquired by $4 billion artificial intelligence company Cognition, just three weeks after negotiations with OpenAI for a $3 billion deal fell through. This acquisition has placed approximately 200 Windsurf employees under Cognition's umbrella, presenting them with a stark choice: embrace a grueling six-day workweek with over 80 hours per week in the office, or opt for a buyout worth nine months' salary.
A Culture of Extreme Performance
Cognition CEO Scott Wu made the company's stance clear in an internal email, stating, "we don't believe in work-life balance". He emphasized that building the future of software engineering is a mission so deeply cared for that separating work and life is impossible. Wu later reiterated this on X, highlighting Cognition's "extreme performance culture" and the expectation for employees to be fully committed, often working late into the night and through weekends.
Windsurf's Journey and Features
Founded with the vision to create "the most powerful way to code with AI", Windsurf boasts over a million users worldwide. Its notable features include Cascade, a deep codebase analysis tool, and Tab, an autocomplete function integrated into coding workflows.
The Aftermath of the Deal
Prior to the Cognition acquisition, Google secured nonexclusive licensing rights to Windsurf's technology for $2.4 billion, also hiring former CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder Douglas Chen, and several researchers. The remaining staff and assets were acquired by Cognition on July 14, marking a new chapter for the team.
Wu's memo to staff post-acquisition underscored unity: "After today, our efforts will be as a united and aligned team. There's only one boat and we're all in it together."
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