Job Terminations Ensue After Worker Demonstrations during Microsoft's Anniversary Event
Sparking Controversy:
Two Microsoft engineers, Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal, were recently let go following outspoken protests against the company's military AI projects with Israel. This move comes after a surge of criticism about Microsoft's involvement in such ventures, particularly after the October 7 Hamas attacks, leading to a significant increase in Israel's use of AI in combat.
The events unfolded at Microsoft's 50th-anniversary celebration in Redmond, Washington, where Aboussad interrupted AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. Her powerful message read, "Mustafa, you claim to 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."
Internal Emails and the Company's Response
Reviewed emails show Microsoft terminated Aboussad for "just cause," citing "wilful misconduct, disobedience, or wilful neglect of duty." The company condemned the public nature of Aboussad's protest, arguing that internal channels should have been utilized instead. In an email to top executives, including Satya Nadella and Mustafa Suleyman, Aboussad explained her decision to speak up, stating, "I spoke up today because after learning that my org was powering the genocide of my people in Palestine, I saw no other moral choice." Microsoft interpreted this as confirmation of her knowing violation of company policy.
Vaniya Agrawal, the other engineer, had initially planned to resign on April 11 but was forced to leave earlier. Microsoft informed her on Monday that her resignation was effective immediately. Agrawal had also voiced her concerns at a separate company meeting and wrote an email to Microsoft leadership accusing the company of contributing to war, surveillance, and apartheid.
Broadening Disagreement and Internal Activism
The engineers' protests mirrored the language and concerns shared by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which called for a boycott of Xbox and Microsoft Gaming products earlier in the week. BDS designated Microsoft as "perhaps the most complicit tech company" in Israel's alleged illegal occupation and the ongoing genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza. They urged people to cancel Xbox Game Pass subscriptions and avoid all Microsoft-published games and hardware.
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Since October, Israel has reportedly become Microsoft's second-largest military customer, following only the United States. According to an Associated Press investigation, Israeli forces now use Microsoft AI for various purposes, almost doubling after the October 7 attack, raising ethical concerns over AI-driven warfare and the potential for fatal errors due to false positives.
The terminations also indicate growing tension within the company. Back in October 2024, two other employees, Abdo Mohamed and Hossam Nasr, were dismissed after organizing a vigil for Palestinians killed in Gaza. Internally, support for campaigns like "No Azure for Apartheid" is on the rise, with over 1,000 employee signatures and the emphatic message, "We refuse to be complicit."
Microsoft, in defense of its internal policies, stated, "We strive to provide many avenues for every voice to be heard, but ask that this be done in a way that avoids business disruption."
- The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement recently designated Microsoft as a complicit tech company for its alleged role in Israel's illegal occupation and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, following the company's increased military AI contracts with Israel.
- Microsoft engineers Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal were terminated from their positions, with Aboussad being accused of "wilful misconduct, disobedience, or wilful neglect of duty" for publicly speaking out against the company's military AI projects with Israel.
- Agrawal had initially planned to resign but was forced to leave earlier following her protests, as she voiced concerns about Microsoft's involvement in war, surveillance, and apartheid.
- Internal activism within Microsoft is growing, with campaigns like "No Azure for Apartheid" gaining support from over 1,000 employees who refuse to be complicit in the company's involvement in controversial military technology projects.
