Cognition, an AI coding startup, has recently acquired rival company Windsurf and is offering voluntary buyouts to approximately 200 newly acquired Windsurf employees. The buyout package includes compensation equivalent to nine months' salary. This move follows Cognition's layoff of 30 Windsurf employees last Friday. For those who choose to remain, Cognition requires a demanding work schedule of six days per week and more than 80 hours of work weekly. Cognition CEO Scott Wu has emphasized a culture that does not prioritize work-life balance. Industry observers note that Cognition primarily sought Windsurf's product and brand, which are trusted by developers, rather than its sales staff. The buyout offer has been described as generous, but the company’s expectation of an "extreme" work environment has drawn attention.