Microsoft’s 50th anniversary was supposed to be a grand celebration, but things took an unexpected turn when employees raised their voices against the company’s AI work with the Israeli military. During the event in Redmond, Washington, Ibtihal Aboussad, a software engineer from the AI division, interrupted CEO Mustafa Suleyman’s speech with a powerful accusation. “You have blood on your hands,” she declared, urging Microsoft to stop its AI support for military operations.
As security escorted Aboussad out, she sent a detailed email to top executives, including CEO Satya Nadella. “After learning my work was used to aid a genocide in Palestine, I couldn’t stay silent,” she wrote passionately. Her email also highlighted a troubling culture of suppression within Microsoft, citing cases of intimidation and job losses among employees who dared to speak up.
But Aboussad wasn’t alone. Elsewhere during the anniversary events, Vaniya Agrawal, another engineer, interrupted Nadella’s speech. Later, she resigned in protest against Microsoft’s alleged involvement in the military-industrial complex.
These incidents are part of a growing trend where AI companies are increasingly collaborating with defense sectors. Recent partnerships include Anthropic and Palantir teaming up with Amazon Web Services to boost U.S. defense capabilities, and OpenAI working with Anduril to deploy advanced AI for national security.
Aboussad expressed her disillusionment, having once been inspired by AI’s potential for humanitarian good. She was shocked to find her contributions being sold to governments, violating human rights, she claimed, referencing the “No Azure for Apartheid” petition.
So far, Microsoft hasn’t commented on the protests. These events highlight ongoing tensions within tech companies over the ethical implications of their technologies in military applications.
