Google has agreed to pay $2.4 billion to hire the founders and top researchers of AI coding startup Windsurf, effectively derailing OpenAI’s $3 billion acquisition bid for the company. The deal will see Windsurf remain independent, with its new licensing agreement being non-exclusive.
The move is Google’s latest attempt to acquire top talent from startups without buying them outright. Microsoft, Meta, and other firms have also made similar deals in recent times, likely using this tactic to avoid antitrust scrutiny.
Windsurf, founded in 2021, raised over $200 million in venture capital and valued itself at $1.25 billion last year before the OpenAI bid fell through due to concerns Microsoft would gain access to its intellectual property.
The company’s founders, Varun Mohan and Douglas Chen, will primarily help develop Google’s Gemini AI platform. Windsurf’s interim CEO, Jeff Wang, and Global Sales VP Graham Moreno will lead the team as president and interim COO respectively.
This latest move highlights the growing competition in the AI coding space, with companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Google vying for top talent and intellectual property.
Source: https://www.techspot.com/news/108648-google-torpedoes-openai-3b-windsurf-acquisition.html