REDMOND, Wash. (Samedia)— Microsoft has terminated two employees who disrupted the company’s 50th anniversary celebration to protest its provision of artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military, according to a workers’ advocacy group. The group identified the former employees as Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal.
The protest occurred on Friday during a livestreamed event from Microsoft’s campus in Redmond, Washington, where the company was unveiling new product features and outlining its long-term AI vision. Among the attendees were co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer.
The disruption began when software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad approached the stage where AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman was speaking. Aboussad shouted, “You claim that you care about using AI for good, but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military. Fifty thousand people have died, and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region.”
Aboussad’s protest forced Suleyman to pause his speech. In response, Suleyman said, “Thank you for your protest, I hear you.” However, Aboussad continued, accusing Suleyman and “all of Microsoft” of having blood on their hands. She threw a keffiyeh scarf, a symbol of support for Palestinians, onto the stage before being escorted out.
In an email to Suleyman and other Microsoft executives, including CEO Satya Nadella, CFO Amy Hood, COO Carolina Dybeck Happe, and President Brad Smith, Aboussad explained her actions. “I spoke up today because after learning that my organization was powering the genocide of my people in Palestine, I saw no other moral choice,” she reportedly wrote. “This is especially true when I’ve witnessed how Microsoft has tried to quell and suppress any dissent from my coworkers who tried to raise this issue.”
“I did not sign up to write code that violates human rights,” Aboussad added, including a link to a “No Azure for Apartheid” petition.
Shortly after Aboussad’s protest, another employee, who has not been named, also interrupted the event to express similar concerns. The second protester was also removed from the venue.
Microsoft has not yet responded to requests for comment on the incident or the firings.
The protest highlights the growing debate over the role of technology companies in global conflicts. Critics argue that providing AI technology to military forces can contribute to human rights violations, while proponents argue that such technology can be used for defensive purposes and to protect civilians.
The incident also underscores the challenges faced by tech companies in balancing their business interests with the ethical implications of their products and services.
As the debate continues, employees like Aboussad are calling for greater transparency and accountability from their employers. “We need to ask ourselves what kind of world we want to build with the technology we create,” she wrote in her email.
