Poland pushes open-source software after global Microsoft outage

Poland plans to expand the use of open-source software across public administration to reduce dependence on global technology companies, Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said Friday, following a major Microsoft outage that disrupted businesses and government services worldwide.

The outage, which began Thursday, affected Microsoft's Outlook email service, Teams messaging platform, Copilot artificial intelligence assistant and other Microsoft 365 applications, with disruptions reported in 74 countries and territories.

Gawkowski said the incident highlighted the risks of excessive reliance on a handful of technology providers.

"This is a clear illustration of the problems associated with digital dependence on global corporations," he wrote on US social media platform X. "Diversifying suppliers and relying on open solutions helps reduce such risks," he added.

The minister said Poland was preparing to introduce open-source alternatives in government institutions, including pilot projects involving local authorities.

"We are working at the Ministry of Digital Affairs on implementing open-source solutions in public administration," Gawkowski said, noting that the ministry held an Open Technologies Day on Thursday.

He said the government would soon launch a competition for pilot deployments of open-source software in local government units.

Under the longer-term plan, centrally verified software solutions would be made available to public institutions nationwide.

Gawkowski did not specify which Microsoft products could be replaced, the program's estimated cost or when alternative systems would become widely available.

Poland's initiative comes amid growing European interest in open-source software and diversified digital infrastructure to reduce operational risks and strengthen technological independence.