Microsoft Anniversary Party interrupted by pro-Palestinian demonstrators

A pro-Palestinian demonstration of Microsoft employees interrupted the celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary on Friday, the last reaction on the work of the technological industry to provide artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli army.

The demonstration started while Microsoft AI CEO, Mustafa Suleyman, presented product updates and a long-term vision of the company’s assistant product, Copilot, to an audience that included the co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates and the former CEO Steve Ballmer.

“Mustafa, ashamed to you,” shouted Microsoft Ibtihal Aboussad’s employee as she was heading for the stage and Suleyman paused her speech. “You say that you care to use AI for good, but Microsoft sells weapons in the Israeli army. Fifty thousand people have died and Microsoft feeds this genocide in our region. ”

“Thank you for your protest, I hear you,” said Suleyman. Aboussad continued, shouting that Suleyman and “Tout Microsoft” had blood on his hands. She also launched a Keffiyeh scarf on stage, which has become a symbol of support for the Palestinian people, before being escorted outside the event.

A second protester, Microsoft’s employee, Vaniya Agrawal, interrupted another part of the celebration during which the Portes, Ballmer and CEO current Satya Nadella were on stage – the first public gathering since 2014 of the three men who are CEO of Microsoft.

A survey by the Associated Press revealed earlier this year that Microsoft and Openai AI models were used as part of an Israeli military program to select bombing objectives during the recent wars in Gaza and Lebanon. The story also contained the details of an wandering Israeli air strike in 2023 which struck a vehicle carrying members of a Lebanese family, killing three young girls and their grandmother.

In February, five Microsoft employees were expelled from a meeting with Nadella for protesting against contracts. While the February event was an internal meeting, Friday’s demonstration was much more public – a direct showcase from the past and the future of the company. Some employees also rallied outside the event on Friday.

“We provide many ways to make all voices heard,” a statement from the company said on Friday. “Above all, we ask that this is done in a way that does not cause commercial disruption. If this happens, we ask participants to move. We are committed to ensuring that our business practices meet the highest standards. ”

Microsoft refused to say if it took new measures. Aboussad told AP that she had heard nothing of the company, but Agrawal and Agrawal both lost access to their work accounts after the demonstration and were unable to reconnect, an indication that they were dismissed.