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He helped Microsoft build AI to help the climate. Then Microsoft sold it to Big Oil.

A former Microsoft product manager reveals how the tech giant is using AI to help Big Oil drill—and how he and his partner are now pushing for change.

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Emily Atkin
Jul 17, 2025
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Source: Getty Images

Will Alpine had every reason to believe he was about to help save the planet.

The software engineer had just landed a job at Microsoft, the climate darling of the technology world. It was 2020, and months earlier, Microsoft made global headlines for its groundbreaking new commitment to not only become carbon negative by 2030, but to r…

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