Anthropic Limits Direct Access to Claude AI Models - Windsurf Report

Windsurf Faces Reduced Access to Anthropic's AI Models

Windsurf, the rapidly growing startup specializing in vibe-coding, which is reportedly in the process of being acquired by OpenAI, has announced a significant reduction in its direct access to Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet and Claude 3.5 Sonnet AI models.

Notice of Change and Impact

According to Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan, Anthropic provided minimal advance warning regarding this alteration. Consequently, the company is now actively seeking alternative third-party compute providers to maintain functionality for several of Anthropic’s widely used AI models on its platform.

Mohan expressed his disappointment, stating on X that Windsurf was prepared to compensate Anthropic for full capacity. He emphasized their desire to continue a fully supported relationship.

Availability Concerns

Windsurf acknowledges possessing some capacity through third-party inference providers. However, this capacity is currently insufficient to fully offset the reduction in direct access. This situation may lead to temporary availability issues for users attempting to utilize Claude models through the Windsurf platform.

Recent Developments with Claude 4

This decision follows a previous instance where Anthropic appeared to exclude Windsurf during the initial launch of Claude 4, its latest generation of models known for superior performance in software engineering applications.

Windsurf reported a lack of direct access to Claude 4 on its launch day, a situation that persists. The company has been forced to implement a more complex and costly workaround for developers seeking to access Claude 4.

Competitive Landscape in AI-Assisted Coding

The field of AI-assisted coding, often referred to as vibe coding, has experienced substantial growth recently. OpenAI’s reported acquisition of Windsurf in April coincides with Anthropic’s increased investment in its own AI coding applications.

Anthropic launched Claude Code in February and hosted its inaugural Code with Claude developer conference in May, demonstrating its commitment to this sector.

Anthropic's Statement

Steve Mnich, an Anthropic spokesperson, explained in an email to TechCrunch that the company is prioritizing capacity for partnerships that promote sustainable growth and effectively serve the broader developer community.

Mnich confirmed that access to Claude 4 remains possible on Windsurf through the use of API keys. He also highlighted alternative access methods, including direct API integration and partnerships with other developers.

Windsurf's Growth and Challenges

Windsurf has achieved significant revenue growth, reaching $100 million ARR in April, as it strives to compete with established AI coding tools like Cursor and GitHub Copilot. However, limited access to Anthropic’s models could potentially hinder its continued expansion.

User Frustration

Several Windsurf users have voiced their dissatisfaction with the lack of direct access to Anthropic’s most advanced AI coding models.

Ronald Mannak, founder of a startup focused on Apple’s Swift programming language, stated that Claude 4 represented a substantial improvement for his workflows. He has since transitioned to using Cursor to facilitate easier vibe coding with Claude 4, despite being a Windsurf customer since late 2024.

Workarounds and Costs

As a temporary measure, Windsurf allows users to connect their own Anthropic API keys to their accounts. However, developers have noted that this “bring your own key” approach is more expensive and requires more configuration than direct model integration by Windsurf.

The Importance of Model Optionality

In the rapidly evolving world of vibe coding, the ability to support a variety of AI models is crucial. New models from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic are frequently released, often demonstrating improved performance on coding tasks.

Therefore, it is advantageous for vibe-coding startups to offer support for AI models from all leading developers.

Payal Patel, a Windsurf spokesperson, reiterated the company’s commitment to providing users with optionality, acknowledging that Anthropic’s recent actions have presented a challenge in this regard.