Microsoft Turns 50: Tracing Its Journey from Code to Cloud Platforms

Microsoft was founded on April 4, 1975, by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. It started with a version of the BASIC programming language for the Altair 8800 computer, and the rest is history. Bill and Paul, might not have realized at that time, that they just did not write the BASIC code, they created the very foundation of computing. Microsoft today has become an institution, it touches almost everyone on the planet with its massive tech universe. The story of Microsoft isn’t just about technology. It’s about people—the dreamers, the builders, the risk-takers who saw problems and turned them into possibilities. Today, as we look back, Microsoft is still reinventing and reimagining the computing landscape and mastered the art of staying relevant.

Where do you want to go today? – this was the iconic slogan onboarded by Microsoft way back in 1994. It’s part of a global campaign, that defined its trajectory in the mid to late 1990’s. It pivoted Microsoft as a company empowering individuals and organizations with tech – usable and simple. Probably the first of the ‘Design Thinking’ initiatives in the tech industry, it propelled Microsoft into becoming a human-centric tech organization. “Where do you want to go today?” still remains one of the most powerful lines in the history of computing.

Satya Nadella’s Speech – Microsoft’s 50th Anniversary

In a thought-provoking speech posted by Satya Nadella, Chairman & CEO of Microsoft on LinkedIn, he walked through the company’s history and how it has become a defining force in tech. Here is what Nadella said:

It's so wonderful to be here with all of you, celebrating 50 years of Microsoft. And it's especially exciting to be doing it at a time like this. For me, though, it starts with Bill and Steve, who are both here with us today. You know, I want to say a very big thank you to both of you—and Paul—for what you have meant to me personally. The vision and expectations you had while building this extraordinary company have shaped what Microsoft is today, and I have had the privilege of being part of this journey.

Thank you for your vision, your leadership, your passion, and for building the Microsoft we know today—a company that has truly changed the world.

Fifty years ago, Bill and Paul started Microsoft with a simple yet powerful idea: to build technology so people everywhere could build more technology. The very first Microsoft product was the BASIC interpreter for the Altair, giving people the power to create software, jumpstarting the PC revolution, and creating an entirely new sector for our economy.

Embracing the Now: AI as the New Frontier

But today, it’s not just about the past 50 years; it’s about the next 50. If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my time at Microsoft, it’s that longevity alone isn’t what matters—it’s relevance. Our future will not be defined by what we have built, but by what we empower others to build.

This is why we are leading this new wave of AI innovation and, more importantly, democratizing it—just like we did with the PC. 

Everyone is a Builder

Take Copilot, for example. Just two years ago, we launched it with code completions. Since then, we’ve expanded to chat, multi-file edits, and now to agents. More than 150 million developers across nearly every country in the world are using it today.

You know you're onto something when intelligence becomes so accessible that even CEOs can start live coding! But in all seriousness, this isn’t just a cool party trick—it’s transformational. It’s empowering. It’s unleashing human ambition. 

We now have autonomous AI agents for programmers—agents that can collaborate with us, anticipate our needs, and help us think more creatively.  We are also launching the Code Review Agent today—it will automatically find and fix bugs.

We're making it easier than ever for developers to build their agents in Foundry. Think of it like an agent factory—a production line for intelligence. Tens of thousands of organizations are using Foundry to build their own AI agents, and today, we are taking it further. We now have a new agent framework for building multi-agent systems. But building agents is just the beginning.

We are also introducing tools for evaluation, fine-tuning, observability, and feedback. We even have red-teaming agents and tools to measure code vulnerabilities—all of this to support the development of trustworthy AI systems.

And this is just the beginning. What started 50 years ago as a developer tools company has now evolved into a platform company, where everyone can be a developer. Our mission hasn’t changed—it has only expanded. We have always believed in putting power into people’s hands so they can build software that moves their communities and countries forward.

The same ethos drives Copilot—not just for developers but for every aspect of work and life. It helps people get things done, whether it’s building apps, doing homework, shopping, planning, and so much more. Ultimately, it all comes down to our mission: to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. I have always thought of Microsoft as a platform-first and partner-first company. None of this would have been possible without our customers, our partners, and most importantly, our employees—both past and present—who have connected their passion with our purpose.

The Next 50 Years

You are the ones who have shaped Microsoft into what it is today, and you are the ones who will continue to drive its impact across the world well into the future. So, from the bottom of my heart—a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to Microsoft and helped us reach this milestone.

Nadella’s talk went beyond the traditional tribute, but a call to action and a reminder that the next 50 years belong to those who dare to build, break, and build again.

#Microsoft@50