Microsoft terminates two employees for protesting against company's AI assistance to IDF

Microsoft terminated two of its employees for interrupting the company’s 50th-anniversary celebration by staging a protest against the alleged supply of Microsoft’s artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military.

In a statement explaining the apparent cause for termination, Microsoft accused one of the employees named Ibtihal Aboussad of misconduct “designed to gain notoriety and cause maximum disruption to this highly anticipated event.”

Aboussad was terminated from her job “just cause, wilful misconduct, disobedience or wilful neglect of duty,” according to the Microsoft.

Meanwhile Indian origin engineer, Vaniya Agrawal also recorded a protest in support of Palestinians at Microsoft headquarters in Redmon, Washington, where participants, including co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer, were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the company.

The protest gained widespread attention on Friday when Microsoft software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad dis reupted Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman's announcement of new product features and the company’s long-term AI goal.

“You claim that you care about using AI for good, but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military,” Aboussad shouted at Microsoft AI CEO.

Read: Microsoft employee protests against Israeli aggression in Palestine during 50th anniversary celebration 

“Fifty-thousand people have died, indicating that Microsoft powers this genocide in our region,” she shouted before beign escorted out of the event. 

The disruption forced Suleyman to briefly pause his presentation. He attempted to de-escalate the situation by stating, “Thank you for your protest, I hear you.”

Read: Hamas urges Muslim countries to hold protest against renewed Israeli aggression

However, Aboussad, while throwing the Keffiyeh scarf on the ground continued shouting, saying: “All of Microsoft had blood on their hands.”

Aboussad worked at the Toronto headquarters of Microsoft, following the protest, she was called by the HR and immediately fired. 

The second protest was staged by Vaniya Agrawal. A video circualted online showing Vaniya confronting Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. 

 "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 screamed at the tech gaints. 

The Associated Press shared its investigation, uncovering that Microsoft and OpenAI's models were utilized by an Israeli military program to identify bombing targets in the recent conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.