# WindSurf Loses Direct Claude AI Access
WindSurf, the popular AI coding startup reportedly in acquisition talks with OpenAI, has lost direct access to Anthropic’s Claude AI models. The company confirmed that Anthropic significantly reduced its first-party access to Claude 3.7 Sonnet and Claude 3.5 Sonnet models.
### Limited Access to Claude Models
WindSurf CEO Varun Mohan stated that the company received little notice about the change, forcing it to rely on third-party providers to run Anthropic’s AI models.
“We wanted to pay for full capacity, but this decision came with short notice,” Mohan said in a post on X. The company now faces potential short-term availability issues for users trying to access Claude models.
### Missed Opportunity with Claude 4
The restriction comes weeks after Anthropic launched Claude 4, its latest AI model family. Unlike competitors such as Cursor, Devin, and GitHub Copilot, WindSurf did not receive direct access to Claude 4. Instead, users must connect their own Anthropic API keys—a more expensive and complex workaround.
### AI Coding Market Heats Up
The AI-assisted coding sector has seen rapid growth, with OpenAI reportedly finalizing a deal to acquire WindSurf earlier this year. Meanwhile, Anthropic has expanded its own AI coding tools, launching Claude Code and hosting its first developer conference.
“We prioritize sustainable partnerships to serve the broader developer community,” said Anthropic spokesperson Steve Mnich. He noted that Claude 4 remains accessible via API, though not directly through WindSurf.
### Impact on WindSurf’s Growth
Despite reaching $100 million in annual recurring revenue, WindSurf’s limited access to Anthropic’s models may hinder its ability to compete with rivals. Some users, like startup founder Ronald Mannak, have already switched to alternatives like Cursor for better Claude 4 integration.
### The Future of AI Coding
The AI coding landscape remains highly competitive, with frequent model updates from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. While WindSurf emphasizes user choice, its reliance on third-party access to Claude models could pose challenges in the evolving AI ecosystem.