REDMOND, Washington – Microsoft recently fired two employees who disrupted the company’s 50th-anniversary celebration to protest its involvement in providing artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military. The workers’ group representing them stated that one of the employees was accused of misconduct in a termination letter on Monday, while the other had already announced her resignation beforehand. The protests began when Microsoft software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad confronted Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman during a presentation, accusing Microsoft of contributing to the conflict in the region by selling AI weapons to the Israeli military.
Suleyman paused his presentation during the livestream from Microsoft’s campus and attempted to calm the situation by acknowledging the protest. Aboussad continued to express her grievances, leading to her being escorted out of the event after throwing a keffiyeh scarf onto the stage. A second protester, Microsoft employee Vaniya Agrawal, also interrupted later in the event. Aboussad, based in Toronto at Microsoft’s Canadian headquarters, was promptly fired following a call with a human resources representative.
The protest shed light on Microsoft’s ties to the Israeli military, as an investigation earlier this year revealed that AI models from Microsoft and OpenAI were utilized in selecting bombing targets during conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. In response to the termination, Microsoft stated that the employees could have raised their concerns through proper channels rather than resorting to disruptive behavior. This incident was not the first instance of protest regarding Microsoft’s collaborations with Israel, as earlier in the year, five employees were ejected from a meeting with CEO Satya Nadella for protesting similar contracts.
Similar to Google, which saw dozens of employees fired after protesting the company’s contract with the Israeli government, these incidents highlight the growing trend of tech employees advocating for ethical considerations in the companies’ business practices. Both Microsoft and Google have faced backlash from employees concerned about their contributions to conflicts and human rights violations. The push for ethical decision-making in tech companies continues to be a point of contention within the industry, as employees strive to hold their employers accountable for their impact on global affairs.