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OPULIS: Meet the Women Powering Microsoft’s Trillion-Dollar Transformation

In the pantheon of technology, few stories are as compelling—and as overdue for celebration—as that of the women who have quietly powered Microsoft’s evolution into a trillion-dollar titan.

In 2025, Women in Cloud marked Microsoft’s 50th anniversary with “OPULIS,” a stunning collector’s coffee table book that finally shines a spotlight on the visionaries, architects, and change-makers whose brilliance and tenacity have fueled the company’s rise across artificial intelligence, cloud, gaming, and beyond.

A 50-Year Tribute: Honoring Female Trailblazers

OPULIS isn’t just a book—it’s a living archive of 50 bold leaders whose impact is etched into Microsoft’s DNA. These are the women who, for five decades, have democratized access to technology, built globally transformative cloud infrastructures, and driven inclusion well before it became a universal business imperative.

Featured within its pages are stories of pioneers who ignited Microsoft’s greatest innovations, many of whom have remained unsung outside of corporate corridors.From crafting groundbreaking accessibility programs to steering Azure’s expansion, leading AI skilling and cybersecurity initiatives, and shaping Xbox’s inclusive gaming community, the honorees are proof that Microsoft’s trillion-dollar transformation is inseparable from women’s leadership.

The campaign that gave rise to OPULIS, #empowHER50, recognizes over 50 innovators whose work has opened economic opportunities and elevated millions across tech ecosystems.

“These women are not just participants—they are trailmakers, power-builders, policy influencers, and pioneers of economic access. As we face the next trillion-dollar AI-powered shift, access to AI innovation must be democratized.”
— Chaitra Vedullapalli, Co-Founder & President, Women in Cloud Beyond Storytelling: Igniting 1,000 AI Careers by 2030

OPULIS is more than a retrospective—it’s the centerpiece of a forward-looking movement. Women in Cloud is leveraging the book’s launch to fuel a campaign aiming to Ignite 1,000 AI Careers by 2030, using Microsoft AI Certification Scholarships as a lever for change.

The organization’s mission is to make technology careers more inclusive, affordable, and attainable for women globally.Historically, women have constituted less than 15% of the cloud computing industry. Women in Cloud, using lessons from distributing thousands of scholarships in 65 countries, has now made it possible for women to access Microsoft’s AI and cloud certifications for a fraction of prior costs (as little as $250 per certification).

The goal: to raise $250,000, fund 1,000 life-changing scholarships, and inspire a generation of female tech leaders.These scholarships go far beyond technical credentials. They include access to mentorship, hands-on labs, and a community of support—ensuring every participant not only learns AI or cloud, but becomes career-ready. The partnership’s reach is significant: over 5,000 women in 80+ countries have earned certifications, with impact measured both in jobs created and global economic growth unlocked.

Building an Inclusive AI and Cloud Future

Women at Microsoft, and their partners in the Women in Cloud network, are also behind global campaigns like the #WICxSkillsReadyChallenge and the AI Innovation Challenge, designed to set world records in skilling and create visible role models at scale. Through lab-based assessments, mentorship, and storytelling platforms like OPULIS, these initiatives elevate women out of traditional silos into visible, empowered tech careers.

Microsoft’s commitment runs deep: programs steered by leaders like Jenny Lay-Flurrie (Accessibility), Gavriella Schuster (Allyship), and a host of others featured in OPULIS, have shaped a workplace where inclusion is not an afterthought, but the engine of innovation. The impact ripples through Corporate, Developer, and Gaming—transforming not only Microsoft but the wider tech industry.

Why OPULIS Matters—Now

In an era when AI, quantum computing, and intelligent cloud will define societal progress, OPULIS stands as both a tribute and a call to action. It argues, through lived example, that gender equity is essential to technological advancement and economic opportunity.

For the collector, the aspiring leader, or the changemaker, OPULIS is more than a gorgeous artifact—it’s a catalyst.As we look toward 2030, the legacy of OPULIS will be measured not just by the stories it holds, but by the doors it opens: 1,000 new AI careers, a global network of credentialed women, and a future where the next trillion-dollar transformation belongs to everyonee.