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Microsoft Dismisses Employees Following Protest at 50th Anniversary Event
In a move highlighting the ongoing controversy surrounding tech companies and their international partnerships, Microsoft has reportedly terminated two staff members who disrupted the corporation’s 50th anniversary festivities. These employees were protesting Microsoft’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology provision to the Israeli military, according to a group representing the dismissed workers. The incident casts a spotlight on ethical concerns related to AI and defense contracts within the tech sector.
Protest During Anniversary Celebration
The demonstrations unfolded on Friday during Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event. Ibtihal Aboussad, a Microsoft software engineer, approached the stage as a company executive was presenting new product features and outlining Microsoft’s future AI goals.
“You claim to prioritize AI for good, yet Microsoft provides AI weaponry to the Israeli military,” Aboussad exclaimed towards Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. “Fifty-thousand individuals have perished, and Microsoft is enabling this genocide in our region.”
Suleyman paused his presentation, which was being broadcast live from Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington, campus. Attendees at the anniversary celebration included Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer.
Employee Terminations Confirmed
“Thank you for your demonstration, I understand your position,” Suleyman responded to Aboussad. However, Aboussad persisted, asserting that Suleyman and “all of Microsoft” bore responsibility, before throwing a keffiyeh scarf, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity, onto the stage and being escorted out.
A second Microsoft employee, Vaniya Agrawal, also staged a protest later in the event.
On Monday, Aboussad was invited to a video conference with a human resources representative and informed of her immediate dismissal. Agrawal received notification of termination via email, according to No Azure for Apartheid, an advocacy organization protesting Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform sales to Israel.
Background: AI and Israeli Military Contracts
Earlier investigations by The Associated Press indicated that AI models developed by Microsoft and OpenAI were utilized in an Israeli military program for selecting bombing targets during recent conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. The reports also detailed a 2023 Israeli airstrike incident that resulted in the deaths of three young girls and their grandmother from a Lebanese family.
Prior to this incident, in February, five Microsoft employees were removed from a meeting with CEO Satya Nadella for demonstrating against these contracts.
Microsoft’s Response to Protests
In a statement released on Friday, Microsoft stated, “We offer numerous channels for all perspectives to be voiced. We do, however, expect this to occur without disrupting business operations. Should disruptions arise, we ask participants to relocate. We are dedicated to ensuring our business conduct aligns with the highest ethical principles.”
Microsoft initially declined to comment on further actions following Friday’s protests. Aboussad reported to the AP that her access to work accounts was revoked shortly after the demonstration.
Comparison to Google Employee Protests
This situation mirrors similar events at Google, where dozens of employees were let go following internal protests against the company’s contract with the Israeli government. These Google employee sit-ins at New York and Sunnyvale, California offices targeted Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion agreement providing AI technology to the Israeli government.
The dismissed Google workers subsequently filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board in an effort to regain their positions.