Cognition is an American company specializing in artificial intelligence applied to software development. Its flagship product, Devin, aims to carry out technical assignments based on natural-language instructions: exploring a code repository, preparing a change, running tests and submitting the result for review. The company thus positions itself in the market for software agents capable of performing a sequence of actions in a working environment rather than responding solely with text.
A company built around reasoning and code
Founded in 2023 by Scott Wu, Steven Hao and Walden Yan, Cognition initially brought together people with backgrounds in competitive programming and software engineering. It came to prominence in March 2024 with the introduction of Devin, described by the company as an AI software engineer. This description reflects an ambition: to delegate to a system some of the work usually done by a developer, rather than simply speed up code entry.
In July 2025, Cognition announced the acquisition of Windsurf, known for its development environment with integrated AI features. This acquisition broadens its scope: alongside agents handling delegated assignments, it now offers tools used directly by developers in their day-to-day work.
From instructions to software changes
Devin has an environment that includes a terminal, a code editor and a browser. Based on a request, the agent can draw up a plan, consult documentation, modify files and check the program’s behavior. The aim is to handle clearly defined tasks, such as fixing a bug, carrying out a technical migration or adding a feature, with opportunities for interaction between the user and the agent during execution.
The offering is primarily aimed at development teams seeking to delegate certain operations and reduce the time spent on repetitive work. However, it requires a clear framework: access to the right repositories, actionable instructions, relevant tests and oversight of changes. A successful demonstration does not guarantee the same level of reliability across all projects, particularly when the code is old, poorly documented or subject to strict business constraints.
Windsurf brings a complementary approach focused on assistance within the editor. Cognition thus covers two modes of use: working with AI throughout the software-writing process, or entrusting it with an assignment whose result will be reviewed afterward.
What next?
For Cognition, the challenge will be to turn task delegation into measurable, consistent gains. The quality of the code produced, execution costs, data protection and integration with internal procedures will all influence adoption decisions. Competition comes both from coding assistants and from model providers developing their own agents. The company’s position will therefore depend on its ability to make these systems useful on real-world projects while maintaining human oversight appropriate to teams’ risks and responsibilities.