Microsoft dismisses engineers for protesting Israel AI deal
(MENAFN) In a notable development, Microsoft has reportedly dismissed two software engineers after they voiced their objections to the company's provision of artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military.
Ibtihal Aboussad, an engineer in the AI division, was terminated on Monday for what the company labeled as "willful misconduct, disobedience, or neglect of duty." Another engineer, Vaniya Agrawal, who intended to resign later that week, had her resignation expedited to the same day, according to insider reports.
The protests erupted during Microsoft's 50th-anniversary celebration on Friday. Aboussad interrupted a presentation by AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, accusing the company of having "blood on his hands" and remarking that "50,000 people have died, and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region." Agrawal later disrupted a panel discussion featuring prominent figures such as CEO Satya Nadella, previous CEO Steve Ballmer, and founder Bill Gates, declaring: "Shame on all of you. … Cut ties with Israel."
In the aftermath of these incidents, Aboussad reportedly sent an email to Microsoft employees and executives, alleging that the firm had stifled dissenting voices within its workforce. The email contained a link to a petition from "No Azure for Apartheid," a collective of Microsoft workers who have voiced their disapproval of the firm’s connections with Israel.
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