Former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo spoke at TechCrunch Disrupt, where an audience member asked if the satire show “Silicon Valley” would be revived. Costolo, who wrote for the show, essentially said no. He explained that while the writers discuss it, they do not pursue a revival because the real Silicon Valley has become so bizarre that it is beyond parody.
A perfect example is a new company called Clad Labs, which launched from Y Combinator this week. Its product is so unconventional that many people thought it was a November April Fools’ joke. However, founder Richard Wang confirmed to TechCrunch that it is a real product.
The product is named “Chad: The Brainrot IDE.” It is an integrated development environment, or IDE, which is the software developers use for coding. This is another entry in the trend of AI-assisted coding tools, but with a unique twist. While the AI is completing a task, the developer can engage in various distracting activities within a window of the IDE itself.
The company’s advertising promotes activities like gambling, watching TikTok videos, swiping on Tinder, and playing minigames. They state this is not a joke but a solution to a major unaddressed productivity problem in AI-powered development.
The founders argue their IDE boosts productivity by managing “context switching.” Their theory is that by doing these distracting activities within the coding software, a developer will immediately return to work once the AI finishes, rather than being absorbed in a separate phone or browser tab.
Reaction on social media was divided. Some believed the product was a satirical hoax, while others had strong opinions, considering it either a great or a terrible idea.
Jordi Hays, co-host of the pro-tech podcast TBPN, wrote a post about the product titled “Rage Baiting is for Losers.” He acknowledged that the idea was funny but questioned its legitimacy and why it was featured on the official Y Combinator account. He argued that products like Chad IDE are moving rage bait from a marketing tactic to a core product strategy, which he believes is a negative trend. He urged Y Combinator to teach founders that such tactics are for losers.
This perspective is interesting coming from Hays, who as a founder mastered viral marketing without relying on anger. He and his wife Sarah founded PartyRound, a funding startup that went viral for its friendly marketing campaigns. That company later rebranded to Capital and was sold to Rho in 2024.
Wang from Clad Labs says the critics misunderstand his product; it was not designed to be rage bait. The founders hope it will become a genuinely popular AI coding tool for developers building consumer apps. They aim to provide a consumer app-like experience within a professional development environment.
Although the product is real, it is not yet available to the public. Wang stated they are currently in a closed beta, working to build a community of users who support the concept. Clad Labs plans to open the product to everyone soon, but for now, access requires an invitation from an existing beta user.
There is undoubtedly a certain type of developer who would appreciate Chad. Regardless of the product’s future, one thing remains clear: it is nearly impossible to parody Silicon Valley today.