Why Guido van Rossum’s Return to Microsoft Matters for Python’s Future

A 64‑year‑old world‑class programmer, Guido van Rossum—affectionately called "龟叔"—retired last year; he is the creator of Python, the world’s most popular programming language, especially favored for AI, machine learning, and data analysis.

During his first year of retirement, van Rossum contemplated life’s meaning and sought a new professional start, deciding to return to work.

Microsoft approached him to join its developer division and continue Python’s development; after careful consideration, he accepted the invitation.

He announced his move on Twitter (image shown below).

Microsoft’s spokesperson said, "We are honored and excited to welcome him to the development team. Microsoft will continue to contribute to and elevate the Python community, and Guido will keep leading Python forward."

Van Rossum created Python in 1989, borrowing the BDFL (Benevolent Dictator for Life) model, and grew it from his Dutch base to a global, open‑source language.

Python’s popularity surged alongside the LAMP stack and the expanding demand for machine learning, keeping it far from obsolete.

In 2018, he announced his departure from the core Python development team while remaining chair of the Python Software Foundation, allowing the community to steer the language.

His career includes work at Zope, Google (where he helped develop the internal code‑review tool Mondrian), and Dropbox, consistently focusing on improving Python.

Now at Microsoft, he is expected to add value to cloud computing and drive further technical innovation.

Anders Hejlsberg, the father of Delphi/C#/TypeScript, welcomed van Rossum and looks forward to collaborating.

Microsoft engineer Steve Dower explained that Microsoft has been building Python tools since 2010, such as Python Tools for Visual Studio (PTVS) and IronPython, which are now integrated into .NET releases.

The company anticipates broader Python support in Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code, including Azure services like Azure Notebooks and the Azure CLI.

In short, Python remains a practical language that provides strong technical support for companies and is the leading choice for data science and analysis.

With van Rossum on board, Microsoft aims to advance intelligent, powerful solutions and continue its leadership in global software development and open‑source contributions.