Microsoft fires two engineers who protested use of company's AI products by Israel military
Microsoft has taken action against two engineers who protested the use of the company's AI products by the Israel military. The engineers were fired for their objections to the involvement of Microsoft's technology in military applications. This incident highlights the ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI in military operations. Microsoft's decision reflects the company's stance on the use of its technology in potentially controversial situations.
Microsoft Fires Employees Protesting AI Technology Sales to Israeli Military
Microsoft has fired two employees who interrupted the company's 50th-anniversary celebration to protest its work supplying artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military, as reported by a group representing the workers. Microsoft accused one of the workers in a termination letter of misconduct "designed to gain notoriety and cause maximum disruption to this highly anticipated event.” Microsoft stated that the other worker had already announced her resignation, but was ordered to leave five days early.
The protests began when Microsoft software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad walked up toward a stage where an executive was announcing new product features and a long-term vision for Microsoft's AI ambitions. Aboussad shouted at Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman about Microsoft selling AI weapons to the Israeli military, accusing them of being complicit in a genocide that has claimed thousands of lives in the region.
The protest led to the interruption of the event, forcing Suleyman to pause his talk. The event was being livestreamed from Microsoft's campus in Redmond, Washington, and included prominent figures like co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer. Suleyman attempted to de-escalate the situation, acknowledging the protest and expressing thanks for the feedback.
Another protester, Microsoft employee Vaniya Agrawal, also interrupted a later part of the event. Aboussad, based in Microsoft's Canadian headquarters in Toronto, was immediately fired following a call with a human resources representative. The advocacy group No Azure for Apartheid, protesting the sale of Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform to Israel, reported the incident.
An investigation by The Associated Press earlier revealed the use of AI models from Microsoft and OpenAI in an Israeli military program for selecting bombing targets during conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. The termination letter to Aboussad mentioned that she could have raised concerns confidentially to a manager instead of making "hostile, unprovoked, and highly inappropriate accusations" against Suleyman and the company.
Previous Protests and Actions
This incident was not the first protest over Microsoft's collaborations with Israel. In February, five Microsoft employees were ejected from a meeting with CEO Satya Nadella for protesting similar contracts. Google also faced internal protests over its contracts with the Israeli government, resulting in the firing of dozens of employees last year.
The Google workers who were terminated after internal protests filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board to seek reinstatement. Both Microsoft and Google have emphasized the importance of allowing all voices to be heard while ensuring that business operations are not disrupted.