In a shocking twist, Google DeepMind is now hiring Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder Douglas Chen, and some of the startup’s top AI coding talent. A Google spokesperson confirmed the hiring of Windsurf’s leaders in a statement to TechCrunch.

OpenAI’s deal to buy Windsurf is off, and Google will instead hire the Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder Douglas Chen, and some of Windsurf’s R&D employees from the company to join DeepMind, Google and Windsurf announced Friday.

In a $2.4 billion deal, Google recruited the chief executive and a co-founder of Windsurf, which OpenAI had been in talks to buy, as the battle to dominate artificial intelligence escalates.