Anthropic Cuts Windsurf’s Claude Access Amid OpenAI Acquisition Rumors

Anthropic has terminated Windsurf's direct access to its Claude AI models, a strategic move that reverberates through the AI sector as rumors swirl about OpenAI's potential $3 billion acquisition of Windsurf. Jared Kaplan, Anthropic's co-founder, emphasized the decision was driven by long-term partnership strategy rather than competitive dynamics. "It WOULD be odd for us to be selling Claude to OpenAI," Kaplan remarked, alluding to the looming possibility of Windsurf falling under a rival's control.

The abrupt withdrawal has forced Windsurf to pivot to third-party compute providers, disrupting user access to Claude 3. While neither Anthropic nor OpenAI has confirmed the acquisition, Bloomberg's report suggests advanced negotiations. The timing underscores Anthropic's shift toward prioritizing stable alliances and its own Claude Code assistant over transactional relationships.