Google has hired Windsurf’s Varun Mohan, but his departure has sparked a backlash with some calling him a “generational villain” on social media. The Indian-origin CEO joined Google’s AI arm DeepMind after a high-stakes corporate tug-of-war with OpenAI.
Mohan’s abrupt exit left Windsurf in turmoil, and the startup was eventually acquired by another AI firm, Cognition, following frantic negotiations over the weekend. Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla condemned Mohan’s actions, saying he would not work with him again.
Meanwhile, CEO of Cognition, Scott Wu, expressed disappointment at the “unspoken covenant” between founders to go down with their companies when things go wrong. The news has sparked a heated debate on social media, with some defending Mohan and others criticizing his actions.
Mohan’s departure from Windsurf has also raised questions about the ethics of founder departures and the treatment of employees left behind. Despite the backlash, some have come to Mohan’s defense, praising his leadership and achievements with the startup.
Source: https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/indian-origin-ceo-facing-backlash-for-ditching-startup-to-join-google-generational-villain-8918842