Microsoft fires employees for protesting AI contracts with Israel

In recent events, two Microsoft employees were fired for protesting the company's work supplying artificial intelligence technology to Israel. The protests occurred during the company's 50th anniversary event, where Ibtihal Aboussad interrupted the speech of Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman by shouting accusations against the company for its involvement in alleged war crimes. Vaniya Agrawal also participated by timing her protest to coincide with a panel discussion featuring other Microsoft executives, shouting that numerous lives had been lost due to Microsoft’s technology. Aboussad's remarks specifically highlighted the toll of violence in Gaza, where she stated that 50,000 Palestinians had been killed. The protests were backed by a group called No Azure for Apartheid, which claims to advocate for the termination of Microsoft's contracts with the Israeli military and government. The group stated that Microsoft had previously fired several employees involved with them over protests relating to the company’s dealings. Following the disruptive actions at the anniversary event, Microsoft communicated to Aboussad that her employment was terminated due to 'acts of misconduct,' emphasizing an internal policy of business conduct. Agrawal had planned to resign just days later but was notified of her termination immediately after the event with internal communications from Microsoft. The employee protests underscore growing tensions surrounding corporate involvement in conflicts and raise questions about corporate responsibility and employee rights to voice dissent. Microsoft, which maintains significant operations in Israel, claims to provide avenues for employees to express their views, albeit under guidelines to prevent disruptions to business operations.