By TechTalesLeo for Digital Tech Explorer
The intersection of AI development and corporate ethics has once again come under scrutiny, with recent news from Microsoft taking center stage. Two software engineers at the tech giant were recently terminated after publicly protesting the company’s sales of AI technology to the Israeli military. Their protest and subsequent dismissal occurred amidst a call from the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement to boycott Microsoft Xbox products.
Microsoft’s Rationale for Terminating Protesting Engineers
According to internal communications, AI software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad was informed of her termination on the grounds of “just cause, wilful misconduct, disobedience or wilful neglect of duty.”
Her colleague, Vaniya Agrawal, who had planned to resign on April 11, was notified by Microsoft that the company had “decided to make [her] resignation immediately effective” on the same day as the protests.
Microsoft’s justification for Aboussad’s dismissal highlighted the public nature of her protest. The company stated that concerns could have been raised “confidentially” through internal channels such as her manager or Global Employee Relations.
Microsoft asserted, “Instead, you chose to intentionally disrupt the speech of Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman,” adding that her “misconduct was designed to gain notoriety and cause maximum disruption to this highly anticipated event.” The company concluded that “Immediate cessation of your employment is the only appropriate response.”
Context: Israeli Military’s AI Deployment and Risks
The Israeli military has significantly increased its reliance on Microsoft’s AI technology, particularly following the events of October 7, 2023, becoming Microsoft’s second-largest military customer after the US military. Reports indicate that by March 2024, the Israeli military’s use of AI capabilities surged to “200 times” its previous rate.
This AI technology is reportedly employed by the Israeli military for sifting through extensive intelligence data, intercepting communications, and conducting surveillance to identify suspicious activities and track enemy movements. Investigations have also pointed out the severe risks associated with AI false positives in warfare scenarios.
Account of Aboussad’s Protest and Subsequent Communications
During Microsoft’s 50th-anniversary event last week in Redmond, Washington, an event which highlighted Microsoft Copilot agents, the company’s AI tool, Ibtihal Aboussad confronted Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman as he took to the stage. She stated, “Mustafa, shame on you. You claim that you care for 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.”
As she was escorted out, Aboussad added, “You have blood on your hands. All of Microsoft has blood on its hands.”
Following the incident, Aboussad emailed several Microsoft executives, including CEO Satya Nadella and AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. In her email, she clarified her actions: “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. This is especially true when I’ve witnessed how Microsoft has tried to quell and suppress any dissent from my coworkers who tried to raise this issue.”
Microsoft reportedly viewed this email as “an admission that [she had] deliberately and willfully engaged in […] misconduct.”
Agrawal’s Protest and Accusations of Complicity
Software engineer Vaniya Agrawal also protested during a separate meeting with Microsoft executives that also took place last Friday, interrupting CEO Satya Nadella.
In a subsequent email clarifying her position, Agrawal wrote, “Over the past 1.5 years, I’ve grown more aware of Microsoft’s growing role in the military-industrial complex.”
She accused Microsoft of being “complicit,” labeling the company a “digital weapons manufacturer that powers surveillance, apartheid, and genocide.” Agrawal further stated, “by working for this company, we are all complicit.”
Microsoft’s Official Response and Past Actions
In response to the protests, a Microsoft spokesperson stated, “We provide many avenues for all voices to be heard. Importantly, we ask that this be done in a way that does not cause a business disruption. If that happens, we ask participants to relocate.”
This is not the first instance of Microsoft terminating employees for taking public stances on the conflict. In October 2023, Abdo Mohamed and Hossam Nasr were reportedly fired after organising a vigil for Palestinians killed in Gaza.
The recent events have amplified broader calls for action against Microsoft. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has specifically urged consumers to “cancel [their] Xbox Game Pass subscription” to exert pressure on the company.
BDS has also advocated for the boycott of “all Microsoft Gaming products, including Xbox-branded consoles, gaming headsets, gaming accessories, and all games published by Microsoft-owned publishing labels (such as Xbox Game Studios, Activision, Bethesda, and Blizzard).”
In her initial email, Aboussad included a link to No Azure for Apartheid, an organisation calling for Microsoft to end “its direct and indirect complicity in Israeli apartheid and genocide” through services like Microsoft Azure. The organisation’s aims are supported by a number of internal Microsoft employees, having garnered over 1,000 petition signatures and featuring the words “We refuse to be complicit” on its landing page.