Microsoft’s 50th anniversary celebration in Redmond, Washington, was disrupted on Friday when an employee interrupted AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman’s speech, protesting the company’s involvement with the Israeli military campaign in Palestine. Ibtihal Aboussad, a Microsoft employee, shouted from the audience, accusing the tech giant of “profiting from war” and “facilitating genocide” through AI weapons sold to Israel.

Aboussad approached the stage, shouting, ''Mustafa, shame on you,'' and accused Microsoft of contributing to the deaths of over 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza. She criticised Suleyman for claiming to use AI for good while the company’s technologies allegedly support Israeli military actions. 

''You claim that 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,'' the protestor shouted. ''Thank you for your protest. I hear you,'' Suleyman replied.

Recommended For You

Aboussad continued, shouting that Suleyman and “all of Microsoft” had blood on their hands. Before being escorted out, Aboussad threw a keffiyeh scarf onto the stage, symbolising solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

ALSO READ: Chinese Woman Lives In Office Toilet For $7 A Month: Sad Reality Of China's Rent Crisis

Later during the event, a second employee, Vaniya Agrawal, interrupted a segment featuring former CEO Bill Gates, ex-CEO Steve Ballmer, and current CEO Satya Nadella, which was their first joint public appearance since 2014. The back-to-back protests drew attention to internal dissent within Microsoft over its partnerships with Israel.

Microsoft issued a statement affirming its commitment to providing avenues for employees to voice concerns but stated the need to avoid disrupting business operations. The company did not confirm whether disciplinary action would be taken, but both protesting employees lost access to their work accounts following the incident, suggesting potential termination.

ALSO READ: 'Won't Permit Sri Lankan Territory To Be Used In Any Manner Inimical To India's Security': President Dissanayake

An earlier investigation by the Associated Press revealed that AI tools developed by Microsoft and OpenAI were utilized in Israeli military operations to select bombing targets in Gaza and Lebanon. The report included details of a 2023 airstrike that mistakenly killed a Lebanese family, intensifying scrutiny over corporate complicity in warfare.

The protest at Microsoft reflects a wider wave of dissent facing corporations and academic institutions over their ties with Israel amid escalating humanitarian concerns in Gaza. Israeli airstrikes have reportedly killed over 50,000 people, mostly women and children, and displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. 

(With agency inputs)


Also In News