Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event, held at its Redmond, Washington headquarters, was disrupted by protests from two employees who criticised the company’s involvement in Israeli military operations. The protests, which took place last week, were led by Ibtihal Aboussad and Indian-origin Vaniya Agrawal, both accusing Microsoft of providing AI technologies to Israel.
During a presentation by Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI, Ibtihal Aboussad interrupted, declaring, “Mustafa, shame on you,” as she approached the stage. Aboussad further accused Suleyman of being a “war profiteer” for Microsoft’s role in enabling military actions through its technologies. Suleyman acknowledged the protest with, “Thank you for your protest, I hear you,” before Aboussad was escorted out.
In a separate incident, Agrawal confronted current and former Microsoft CEOs, including Satya Nadella, Steve Ballmer, and Bill Gates. Agrawal stated, “50,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology. How dare you. Shame on all of you for celebrating on their blood.” She called on Microsoft to sever its ties with Israel amidst ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Agrawal announced her resignation in a company-wide email, stating her inability to remain with a company whose work “enabled genocide by Israel.” Her resignation was spurred by an Associated Press investigation revealing a $133 million contract between Microsoft and Israel’s Ministry of Defense, with Microsoft Azure and AI tools allegedly used for military surveillance.
Microsoft has not officially commented on the accusations or the resignations of Aboussad and Agrawal. The company expressed that it supports employee expression, provided it does not disrupt business operations. However, both employees reportedly lost access to their work accounts following the protests, suggesting potential employment repercussions.
The demonstrations underscore growing tensions within tech companies regarding ethical responsibilities and international conflicts. Microsoft, while showcasing advancements in AI and technology during the event, faced a significant narrative shift due to these protests.
Despite these disruptions, the event continued with a panel discussion featuring Nadella, Ballmer, and Gates, who resumed without addressing the protest. The incident has sparked broader discussions about corporate accountability in military engagements and the ethical implications of technology use.