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Microsoft Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Copilot Launch and Employee Protests
Microsoft marked its 50th birthday with a celebratory event that combined the unveiling of new Copilot features with reflections on its history, featuring appearances from co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer. However, the anniversary event was also marked by unexpected employee protests, creating a dramatic atmosphere alongside the planned festivities. The tech giant’s milestone event showcased both its innovative future with AI and the present challenges it faces, as highlighted by the demonstrations.
Nadella Reflects on 50 Years of Innovation
The anniversary celebration commenced with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella paying tribute to co-founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen, highlighting their creation of software for the Altair 8800, a pioneering personal computer, 50 years prior. Nadella then shifted focus to the future, showcasing enhancements to GitHub Copilot, designed to empower individuals in coding. He stated, “What began as a developer tools company half a century ago has evolved into a platform company where everyone can be a developer. Our core mission remains, but its scope has broadened.”
New Copilot Features Unveiled by AI Chief Suleyman
Following Nadella, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman took the stage to present the latest Copilot functionalities and shared personal anecdotes about Microsoft’s impact on his life. He recounted how, at age 11, he persuaded his parents to purchase a PC equipped with a Pentium processor and 8MB of RAM, enabling him to install Windows 95. Suleyman remarked, “It is not an exaggeration to say that that machine completely transformed my life.”
Employee Protest Shakes Anniversary Event
Just minutes into Suleyman’s presentation on Copilot, Microsoft employee Ibtihal Aboussad approached the stage and vocally protested, “Mustafa, shame on you.” Initially mistaken as part of the planned event, it quickly became apparent that Aboussad was staging a genuine protest against the company. “You are a war profiteer,” Aboussad declared, adding, “Stop using AI for genocide. Stop using AI for genocide in our region. You have blood on your hands.”
Protester Accuses Microsoft of Complicity
Aboussad’s demonstration was in response to Microsoft’s contracts with the Israeli government. After being escorted from the premises, she reportedly sent an email to numerous Microsoft employees, accusing the corporation of being complicit in violence in Gaza over the preceding 18 months.
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Microsoft’s Response to Disruption
Microsoft opted to remove footage of the protest from its official event video. Suleyman, however, addressed the disruption by stating several times, “Thank you for your protest, I hear you.” Microsoft declined to provide an official statement to The Verge regarding Aboussad’s protest.
Celebration Resumes with Music and Tech Legends
After the interruption, Suleyman proceeded with the Copilot segment, introducing new features and hinting at customizable appearances for the AI assistant, before transitioning to the celebratory portion of the event. The entertainment segment featured music from Washingtonian band Allen Stone and hosting by actress Brenda Song (The Social Network, Running Point). Song initiated the employee-focused portion with lighthearted references to Clippy and Xbox memes. Bill Gates then reappeared to discuss quantum computing and impressively recited 17 decimal digits of Pi.
Gaming and Microsoft History on Display
The talk show format persisted with a brief interview featuring Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, who confessed to playing games “20 to 25 hours” weekly, even in the presence of his superiors, while sporting a Minecraft jacket. Bill Gates returned to the stage again with Song to delve into Microsoft’s early years and its ambitious vision of placing a computer on every desk and in every home. He commented, “The new frontier is intelligence, which is even more profound than what came from the last 50 years.”
Ballmer’s Enthusiastic Developer Chant
Steve Ballmer then took the stage for his individual interview. At Song’s encouragement to acknowledge developers, Ballmer enthusiastically delivered his signature “developers, developers, developers!” chant, eliciting considerable applause and laughter. He followed this with another chant, “50 more! 50 more! 50 more!” Ballmer’s energetic appearance was a memorable highlight for many attendees.
Humor and History Intertwined
Following Ballmer’s high-energy segment, the event reverted to a talk show format. Microsoft communications head Frank Shaw engaged in self-deprecating humor by reading aloud humorous negative tweets about his PR work. This was followed by a lighthearted, albeit “cringey,” Microsoft history quiz game show. One Microsoft employee won a sought-after front-row seat, as most employees viewed the event remotely across the campus or via live stream.
Gates, Ballmer, and Nadella Share the Stage
The culmination of the day was the joint appearance of Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Satya Nadella—their first time onstage together in over a decade. Cleo Abram, of the YouTube series “Huge If True,” moderated a fireside chat with the three CEOs.
CEO Admiration and Reflections
Each CEO was asked to identify a quality they admired in the other two. Bill Gates quipped, “I wrote more code than either of these guys, but when it comes to picking people, motivating people, thank god for Steve and Satya.” Ballmer lauded Gates’ intellect, stating, “I’ve met a lot of smart people, and Bill is the smartest guy I’ve ever met. The ability to apply that and use that in all kinds of constructive ways, unparalleled and unmatched.” Nadella spoke about the candor of both Gates and Ballmer, humorously recounting a daunting experience of being reviewed by them simultaneously. He added, “The intellectual rigor and honesty both have, Steve’s passion… the standards they set for how you get prepared, the work you do, it gives me goosebumps.”
Second Protest and Employee Dismissals
External protests could be faintly heard during quieter moments of the CEO discussion. Just after Nadella acknowledged seeking guidance from Gates and Ballmer, a second protester, Microsoft employee Vaniya Agrawal, disrupted the event, declaring, “Shame on you all. You’re all hypocrites,” prompting boos from some audience members. Gates chuckled and responded “alright,” before resuming the conversation. He then remarked, “I think Steve and I almost cared too much, and our life was the company, and Satya has this ability to care as much as we did, but with more of a team.”
Employee Resignations and Terminations
Shortly after interrupting the three CEOs, Agrawal reportedly sent a company-wide email announcing her resignation, with her last day being April 11th. Following the event, Microsoft terminated Ibtihal Aboussad, the first protester, and also dismissed Agrawal ahead of her notice period.
A Surreal Anniversary with a Look to the Future
The protests injected a surreal element into the anniversary event. These interruptions, organized by Microsoft employees expressing frustration with leadership’s inaction on their concerns, stood in stark contrast to the celebratory tone. Despite the disruptions, Microsoft proceeded as planned, though the booing directed at the second protester created an unsettling atmosphere as the company concluded its 50th birthday celebration and turned its attention to the next half-century.
Excitement for the Next 50 Years
“It’s an amazing and exciting time,” Bill Gates stated. “The impact of this 10 years will be greater than any 10 year period in the company.” Steve Ballmer concurred, expressing hope for Microsoft’s continued relevance in 50 years, “That will be a testament to me, Bill, and Satya and probably three more CEOs, including Copilot,” Ballmer added. “You can decide whether Copilot is the CEO or the assistant, that’s to be determined.” Gates jokingly responded, “Well, I hope Copilot’s a good CEO.”
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