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Employees accuse Microsoft of fueling Israeli military’s AI warfare in protests at 50th anniversary event

By isabelle // 2025-04-07

• A Microsoft engineer disrupted the company’s 50th anniversary event, accusing Microsoft of powering Israeli military AI aiding Gaza’s high civilian death toll.
• Employees protest tech giants like Microsoft and OpenAI for militarizing AI, questioning corporate claims of ethical use.
• The protester, Ibtihal Aboussad, condemned Microsoft’s defense contracts mid-speech, calling it complicity in genocide before being removed.
• Another employee resigned publicly, labeling Microsoft a "digital weapons manufacturer" enabling surveillance and apartheid.
• Internal dissent is reportedly suppressed, with workers silenced, harassed, or fired for opposing military AI partnerships.

Microsoft’s recent milestone celebration turned into a platform for dissent as employees confronted executives over the company’s artificial intelligence contracts with the Israeli military. At the company’s 50th anniversary event, software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad interrupted Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman’s speech, accusing the tech giant of enabling genocide in Gaza—where tens of thousands have been killed in Israel’s military campaign. The protest highlights growing tensions inside tech firms as workers revolt against AI’s expanding military applications, particularly in conflicts with heavy civilian casualties. With firms like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic quietly stripping away bans on defense partnerships, ethical concerns are clashing with corporate profits—and employees are refusing to stay silent. As Suleyman spoke about Microsoft’s AI advancements, Aboussad marched toward the stage, her voice cutting through the corporate pomp. “Mustafa, shame on you,” she declared. “You claim 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.” Suleyman paused, replying, “Thank you for your protest, I hear you”—a response met with Aboussad’s sharp retort: “Stop using AI for genocide. All of Microsoft has blood on its hands.” She flung a Palestinian keffiyeh onto the stage before security escorted her out. The confrontation wasn’t isolated. Later, employee Vaniya Agrawal interrupted CEO Satya Nadella’s speech, announcing her resignation in a scorching email stating that Microsoft is "complicit" as a "digital weapons manufacturer that powers surveillance, apartheid, and genocide.”

Silenced dissent and military deals

Aboussad’s follow-up email to executives, obtained by CNBC, detailed a culture of repression. “Our Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim community at Microsoft has been silenced, intimidated, harassed and doxxed,” she wrote, alleging that dissenters were fired for holding vigils. Microsoft’s boilerplate response—“We provide many avenues for all voices to be heard”—rang hollow to protesters who’d seen colleagues punished. The backlash comes amid a broader shift in Silicon Valley, where AI firms are racing to militarize their technology. Microsoft, OpenAI, and others have partnered with defense contractors like Palantir and Anduril, while Scale AI’s $100 million Pentagon deal signals deepening ties between Big Tech and war machines. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform reportedly fuels Israel’s military AI—including targeting systems linked to deadly airstrikes in Gaza and Lebanon.

A reckoning for tech workers

Agrawal’s resignation email framed the protests as a moral reckoning: “By working for this company, we are all complicit.” Her words echo a widening employee revolt, from Google’s Project Maven protests to Meta’s internal battles over Palestinian censorship. The difference? Microsoft’s contracts aren’t theoretical—they’re actively aiding a war that’s killed over 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Neither Aboussad nor Agrawal could access their work accounts post-protest, suggesting possible retaliation. Microsoft declined to clarify their status, but the message was clear: Disruptions won’t be tolerated—even when they expose atrocities. As Microsoft celebrates 50 years, its legacy is being rewritten by workers who refuse to let “innovation” justify complicity in war. The protests—live-streamed to the world—cracked the facade of a company claiming ethical AI while profiting from destruction. With tech giants shrugging off accountability, employees like Aboussad and Agrawal are forcing a public debate: Should AI serve humanity—or militaries bombing civilians? Their bravery ensures the question won’t be buried. For now, Microsoft’s anniversary will be remembered not for its products, but for the people who stood up to say: Not in our name. Sources for this article include: CNBC.com APNews.com AlJazeera.com

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