A pair of former Microsoft employees have taken the unusual step of leaving their positions within the company's sustainability and AI divisions to launch an external pressure campaign targeting the tech giant's fossil fuel industry partnerships. Will and Holly Alpine departed their roles in early 2024 to establish the Enabled Emissions Campaign, focusing on what they characterize as Microsoft's enabling of increased oil and gas production through advanced technology services.

The campaign highlights significant discrepancies between Microsoft's carbon-negative commitments and the broader emissions impact of its business relationships. According to the campaigners' analysis, a 2019 Microsoft partnership with an ExxonMobil subsidiary was projected to increase production by 50,000 oil-equivalent barrels daily by 2025, representing approximately 6.35 million metric tonnes of annual CO2 emissions. These figures substantially exceed Microsoft's reported operational carbon footprint, yet remain unaccounted for in the company's sustainability reporting.

Market analysts note that Microsoft's situation reflects broader industry dynamics as Big Tech companies face increasing scrutiny over their role in fossil fuel operations. While Google discontinued its machine learning services for oil exploration in 2020 following employee pressure, Microsoft and Amazon continue to provide cloud computing and AI services that enhance drilling efficiency. Industry reports suggest AI technologies could increase fossil fuel production by 10-15% through improved recovery rates and operational optimization.

The campaign's emergence coincides with the Trump administration's rollback of clean energy incentives, creating additional challenges for climate-focused advocacy groups. The funding environment for such initiatives has become more difficult, with the Alpines relying on anonymous individual donations to sustain their operations while maintaining significantly reduced living expenses compared to their previous tech industry salaries.