If you ask Krzanich, the uproar comes from a common misperception of how diversity works. The company is hiring more women, African-Americans and Hispanics in addition to people from well-represented groups, he says, not in place of them. In other words, he rejects the notion that you won't get a job at Intel simply because you're a white man -- this is about including people who otherwise wouldn't get their foot in the door. He adds that pay gaps are also problems, and that Intel's next diversity report should highlight those discrepancies.

The comments aren't likely going to assuage those critics who see diversity initiatives as threats to their livelihoods and the status quo. However, they do show that the technology industry isn't a hive mind presenting a unified front. While many companies are publicly committed to improving their cultural variety, some of their employees are just as afraid of change as anyone else.