Is Cluely a Meme or the Future of Startups? - Ep 58

In this episode of the ScholarAI Founders Pod, the founders dive into one of the most controversial collapses in recent SF startup history: the failed $3B acquisition of Windsurf by OpenAI. What went wrong? Who got left behind? And why are top engineers calling it “morally bankrupt”? They break down the shift in power between founders, early engineers, and big tech suitors—especially as Cognition Labs swoops in to salvage scraps while Google walks away with the crown jewels. From the broader future of AI dev tools (Cursor, Claude Code, Codex) to what Cluey’s “cheat on everything” ethos says about the next generation of tech, this episode is part exposé, part forecast.Also: toothpaste thefts in SF, why building with Claude Code feels like vibe coding, and the new playbook where startups win with storytelling—not just software.(0:00) Intro - Welcome to San Francisco(3:36) Windsurf Acquisition Collapse(10:52) Shakeups in the IDE meta(17:41) Labor v Capital: Silicon Valley Power Dynamics(19:45) Claude Code on the Come-up(26:10) Cluely's New PlaybookFollow the Founders: https://x.com/reShashihttps://x.com/Lakshya__Bakshihttps://x.com/DamonBurrowFollow ScholarAI: Twitter/X: https://x.com/ScholarAIInstagram: https://instagram.com/scholarai_/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@founders.podLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/scholar-aiTry our new app: https://notilo.ai#AI #Design #Code #Claude #UX #ProductDesign #Windsurf #DevTools #Startup #FoundersPod #Google #Vercel #Startups #TechNews #Cluely #buildinpublic

In this episode of the ScholarAI Founders Pod, the founders explore the shifting boundary between design and development. From diffusion models that can’t quite get the details right, to tools like Vercel’s V0 and Figma’s Dev Mode, they unpack why the design-to-code handoff is breaking down, and what comes next.They also break down why Claude 3.5 is outperforming GPT-4 for UX copy, the unexpected value of AI-generated “ugly UIs,” and the deeper philosophical question: if agents and humans both communicate in code, is that the future of everything?⏱ Timestamps(0:00) Intro – The founders reunite in SF(2:10) Claude 3.5 is shockingly good at UX writing(7:20) Why “ugly UIs” sometimes convert better(12:40) AI tools that generate full websites are breaking down(18:15) What V0 is doing right—and wrong(24:50) Figma, Dev Mode, and the design-to-code handoff(29:00) Why current AI design tools still frustrate users(30:34) Will code become the common language of agents and designers?(33:15) Wrapping up: what design will look like in 2030Follow the Founders: https://x.com/reShashihttps://x.com/Lakshya__Bakshihttps://x.com/DamonBurrowFollow ScholarAI: Twitter/X: https://x.com/ScholarAIInstagram: https://instagram.com/scholarai_/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@founders.podLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/scholar-aiTry our new app: https://notilo.ai#AI #Design #Code #Claude #UX #ProductDesign #Figma #DevTools #Startup #FoundersPod #V0 #Vercel #Startups #TechNews

(0:00) Intro – Moving to SF, culture shock, and founder ethos (4:35) Skipping college vs. startup school: is it worth it? (10:40) The ROI of grad school and MBA programs (14:50) Favorite AI tools this week: Lovable, Clay, and V0 (19:30) Open source acquisitions: Windsor, Neon, and what they signal (25:10) Klarna’s AI reversal: hype vs. reality of workforce replacement (28:20) Is Perplexity AI here to stay? Growth, acquisition, and skepticism (33:35) Wrap-up In this episode of the ScholarAI Founders Pod, Shashi and Lakshya debate whether founder-led teams outperform, what Klarna’s AI reversal means for the future of work, and why Perplexity might have more staying power than most people think.They also unpack:– The value of skipping college in 2025– Open source wins like Windsor and Neon– Lovable vs. V0: why some AI tools actually resonate– The hard truths about startup investing during a downturnFollow the Founders:https://x.com/reShashihttps://x.com/Lakshya__Bakshihttps://x.com/DamonBurrowFollow ScholarAI:Twitter/X: https://x.com/ScholarAIInstagram: https://instagram.com/scholarai_/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@founders.podLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/scholar-aiTry our new app: https://notilo.ai#AI #Founders #Startups #OpenSource #Klarna #Perplexity #College #VC #Product #TechNews #Clay #Lovable #Neon #Windsor

OpenAI just acquired Windsurf (formerly Codium), and developers everywhere are asking: is this the beginning of the AI IDE wars?In Episode 55, the Founders break down the future of coding tools in an AI-first world—from Cursor’s rapid growth to OpenAI’s strategy to dominate the developer experience. We cover Claude vs. GPT, VS Code’s uncertain future, and what this all means for solo devs, startups, and big players.(0:00) Intro – Cursor vs. Windsurf and OpenAI’s play(4:00) Claude vs. GPT: Who wins the dev experience?(9:50) Will VS Code survive the AI IDE takeover?(15:00) Cursor’s growth + Cursor vs. Windsurf(22:40) OpenAI’s developer strategy + Softbank speculation(28:30) What happens if Cursor wins?Follow the Founders:https://x.com/DamonBurrowhttps://x.com/Lakshya__Bakshihttps://x.com/reShashiFollow the Pod:X: https://x.com/ScholarAIInstagram: https://instagram.com/scholarai_/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@founders.podLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/scholar-ai#Cursor #Windsurf #OpenAI #Claude #GPT4 #DevTools #IDE #SaaS #AI #Startups #VC #Innovation #FoundersPod #Anthropic #Microsoft #VSCode #AItools #Coding

Claude is outperforming GPT-4 for developers - and Cursor is turning engineering into a product manager’s game. In this episode, the founders unpack how they’re using Claude every day, why function calling is such a big deal, and what it means for the future of dev work.They also explore the decline of protected research time in medicine, the rise of hedge fund PhDs, and what happens when traditional career paths start to break down.(1:12) Why Claude models are still top among developers(5:45) OpenAI’s push with O3, O4, and developer market share(9:30) Will any model “win”? Or will there be long-term rotation?(13:00) Claude vs GPT-4 vs LLaMA – productivity insights(16:12) The Meta argument: “Facebook never really left”(18:56) Meta’s dominance in social and future with AR/VR(22:40) The AI “dumbbell theory” – value at the top and bottom(26:15) Are we in a new recession or just reallocation?(29:20) Protected time for researchers in economic downturnsFollow the Founders:https://x.com/DamonBurrowhttps://x.com/Lakshya__Bakshihttps://x.com/reShashiFollow the Pod on Socials:X: https://x.com/ScholarAIInstagram: https://instagram.com/scholarai_/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@founders.podLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/scholar-aiTry our new app: https://notilo.ai#Claude #Cursor #GPT4 #DevTools #Coding #AI #Engineering #PhD #Research #Academia #FoundersPod #TechTrends #Startups

(0:00) Welcome & Google’s Surprise Earnings(3:25) Why AI Overviews Aren’t Hurting Google (Yet)(8:10) Is YouTube Search Powering Google’s Growth?(12:40) AI's Role in Google’s Global Dominance(16:45) Meta’s Massive Growth & Why It's Still Winning(20:50) The Secret Behind Meta’s Ad Revenue Model(24:00) Netflix’s Retention Strategy & Studio Power(28:30) Why Netflix Isn’t Losing the Streaming War(32:15) Tesla's Sales Decline & Elon’s Effect on the Stock(36:40) Will Tesla’s Autonomy Bet Actually Pay Off?(42:10) The Ugly Future of Robot Taxis?(44:35) Minecraft, Mufasa & Movie Economics(48:00) Are Derivative Movies Profitable for Disney?(51:30) Our Picks: What We’ve Been Watching LatelyBig Tech is booming, again. In this episode, the ScholarAI founders break down Google’s earnings surprise, Meta’s pricing power, and how Netflix refuses to churn. Meanwhile, Tesla’s in trouble. Sales are down, and Elon’s distractions may be catching up.Plus:AI overviews may be the most used AI product on EarthWhy Meta’s ad model is more powerful than everNetflix’s secret weapon: content and retentionWhat’s happening with Tesla, autonomy, and robotsAre franchise movies still making money for Disney?We wrap with what we’re watching and what it means for tech, business, and the box office.Watch the full episode now & subscribe for more AI and tech insights.Follow the Founders:https://x.com/DamonBurrowhttps://x.com/Lakshya__Bakshihttps://x.com/reShashiFollow the Pod on Socials:X: https://x.com/ScholarAIInstagram: https://instagram.com/scholarai_/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@founders.podLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/scholar-aiTry our new app: https://notilo.ai

Trump’s 90% tariffs. Market drops. Bitcoin stalls. Are we heading for a recession—or something bigger?In Episode 52 of the ScholarAI Founders Pod, Damon, Shashi, and Lakshya unpack the global market chaos unfolding in real time. From inflation and rate pressures to Bitcoin’s failure as a safe haven, the founders dive into what this moment really signals: a temporary correction, a fundamental realignment, or a full reset of how global systems operate.They discuss:- Why the current pullback feels engineered- Where capital is flowing—and fleeing- Why safe havens aren’t safe anymore- How founders should navigate the next 6–12 monthsWhether you're building a company, holding assets, or just watching closely, this episode is about the stakes behind the headlines.(0:00) Trump’s Tariff Bombshell (3:45) Founder Fallout: Why This Matters for Tech (7:50) Market Panic vs. Realignment (11:40) Bitcoin Is Failing Its Stress Test (15:20) Where Shashi & Lakshya Are Moving Capital (18:40) What the VIX Says About Market Fear (22:30) Are We Entering a Controlled Recession? (27:00) What Happens After ZIRP Ends? (32:00) Is the U.S. Losing Global Trust? (36:15) Recession, Realignment… or Reset?Follow the Founders:https://x.com/DamonBurrowhttps://x.com/Lakshya__Bakshihttps://x.com/reShashiFollow the Pod on Socials:X: https://x.com/ScholarAIInstagram: https://instagram.com/scholarai_/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@founders.podLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/scholar-ai/

Three founders. One unfiltered take on AI’s future. In this episode of the ScholarAI Founders Pod, Damon, Shashi, and Lakshya return for a packed discussion on:- The real implications of open-source AI vs. closed models- Whether Anthropic, OpenAI, and Mistral are over- or under-valued- NVIDIA’s dominance and how founders should think about compute- Why the next great AI company might not be a chatbot- Whether GPT-4.5 is quietly disrupting everything- And the honest debate: are we running out of GPUs?This one’s full of real founder talk — from infrastructure bets to application strategy and beyond. A must-listen if you’re building in AI or investing in it.(0:00) Open vs. Closed-Source AI: What’s Actually at Stake? (6:03) Mistral’s New Model & Product: How Does It Stack Up? (10:56) Should Founders Build on Open-Source or Closed Models? (17:35) GPU Bottlenecks & Infrastructure Tradeoffs (22:45) Model Hosting Costs Are Wild—Who Can Keep Up? (26:31) Infra vs. Product: What Really Drives Adoption? (31:12) GPT-4.5 vs. GPT-5: What's the Real Leap? (36:55) Building an AI Company in 2025: Advice for Founders (42:47) When Will AI Agents Finally Deliver on the Hype? (48:23) Founders Roundtable: Big Lessons from the Past Year (52:11) What We’re Most Excited to Build Next Follow the Founders:https://x.com/DamonBurrowhttps://x.com/Lakshya__Bakshihttps://x.com/reShashiFollow the Pod on Socials:X: https://x.com/ScholarAIInstagram: https://instagram.com/scholarai_/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@founders.podLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/scholar-ai/

In this episode, Lakshya and Shashi dive deep into how AI has completely changed what it means to “build” as a founder. From using tools like Cursor, Claude, and GPT to ship real products without engineers — to launching Notillo, a “Duolingo for college classes". We reflect on what’s changed since the early days of ScholarAI, why distribution and user love now matter more than technical moats, and how tools like Cursor have quietly become the new default IDE for modern builders.They also debate:Do non-technical founders even need cofounders anymore?Why “GPT wrapper” is a broken frameworkWhether Perplexity will survive the search warsWhy Cursor’s rise might signal a new class of AI-native software companiesHow they use Claude + Cursor to write, code, debug, and deploy — fastFollow the Founders:https://x.com/DamonBurrowhttps://x.com/Lakshya__Bakshihttps://x.com/reShashiFollow the Pod on Socials:X: https://x.com/ScholarAIInstagram: https://instagram.com/scholarai_/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@founders.podLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/scholar-ai/

(0:00) AI’s role in research and experimentation(3:15) AI tools accelerating research—where they work and fail(7:40) Can AI actually plan and run experiments?(12:10) AI as a no-code tool—can anyone build software now?(16:45) The rise of AI-powered startups—why execution matters(21:20) AI and the hiring shift—how companies are adapting(26:50) Why SaaS is evolving—AI’s role in reshaping business models(31:25) The challenges of selling AI-powered software(35:40) Who will dominate AI—tech giants or startups?This week, we explore how AI is revolutionizing research, empowering non-coders to build businesses, and disrupting traditional SaaS models.Is AI making software a commodity, research faster, and hiring more selective? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.Follow the Founders:https://x.com/DamonBurrowhttps://x.com/Lakshya__Bakshihttps://x.com/reShashiFollow the Pod on Socials:X: https://x.com/ScholarAIInstagram: https://instagram.com/scholarai_/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@founders.podLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/scholar-ai/