Microsoft employees disrupted the company’s 50th anniversary celebration, protesting its supply of artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military. The protesters, who identified as pro-Palestinian activists, accused CEO Mustafa Suleyman of “selling AI weapons” that contribute to the Israeli military’s actions in the region.
The protest came after a recent investigation by The Associated Press revealed that Microsoft and OpenAI had provided AI models for an Israeli military program to select bombing targets during wars in Gaza and Lebanon. The incident also involved an errant airstrike in 2023 that killed three young girls and their grandmother.
Microsoft employees had previously protested the contracts, with five employees being ejected from a meeting with CEO Satya Nadella in February. However, Friday’s protest was more public, with the event livestreamed and protesters rallying outside. The company has stated it will ensure its business practices meet high standards but declined to comment on further action.
Two Microsoft employees have lost access to their work accounts following the protest, sparking concerns they may be fired.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-ai-protest-israel-gaza-50th-anniversary-fadcb37bcce7e067f896ec5502d187b6