Windsurf launches Planning Mode with AI collaboration and reduced o3 model pricing

Windsurf’s Wave 10 release introduces Planning Mode, a feature for AI-assisted long-term planning through a dedicated interface. Users work with Cascade, Windsurf’s AI assistant, using persistent markdown files to manage goals and tasks. The setup supports direct human edits while allowing seamless AI collaboration for evolving plans.

Cascade updates the plan in real time based on user edits or new information like Memories, notifying users of any changes. A more capable model handles strategic reasoning, while short-term actions are executed by the user’s chosen model. Planning Mode is available to all paid users, with o3 model usage now priced at just 1x credits, down from 7.5x or 10x.

The system supports both initial plan creation and ongoing iteration, leveraging existing features like Customizations and Workflows. It builds on Wave 9’s SWE-1 model, which focuses on long-horizon software engineering tasks. Markdown was chosen as the initial plan format for its balance of persistence and collaborative ease.