‘Microsoft has blood on its hands, 50000 people died…,’ Protest erupts at company’s 50th Anniversary celebration due to…, Bill Gates was…
A pro-Palestinian protest by Microsoft employees disrupted the company’s 50th anniversary celebration on Friday, marking the latest wave of criticism against the tech industry for providing artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military. According to the Associated Press(AP) report, the protest erupted while Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman was presenting updates and sharing the future roadmap for the company’s AI assistant, Copilot, before an audience that included Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer.
Ibtihal Aboussad, a Microsoft employee, shouted, “Mustafa, shame on you,” as she approached the stage, interrupting the presentation. As Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman paused his speech, she continued, “You claim that you 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.”
‘Microsoft has blood on its hands, 50000 people died…,’ Protest erupts at company’s 50th Anniversary celebration due to…, Bill Gates was…
Suleyman responded, “Thank you for your protest, I hear you,” However, Aboussad continued to voice her anger, accusing Suleyman and “all of Microsoft” of having blood on their hands. Before being escorted out of the event, she threw a keffiyeh scarf—widely recognized as a symbol of solidarity with the Palestinian people—onto the stage.
Another wave of disruption unfolded as Microsoft employee Vaniya Agrawal stepped in during a significant segment of the celebration, where Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and current CEO Satya Nadella shared the stage, marking their first joint public appearance since 2014.
Earlier this year, a report by The Associated Press revealed that AI models developed by Microsoft and OpenAI were reportedly used in an Israeli defense program to assist in selecting strategic targets during recent operations in Gaza and Lebanon. The investigation also referenced a 2023 incident involving a miscalculated airstrike that struck a vehicle carrying members of a Lebanese family, tragically resulting in the deaths of three young girls and their grandmother.
In February, five Microsoft employees were removed from an internal meeting with CEO Satya Nadella after voicing opposition to the company’s defense-related contracts. While that protest took place behind closed doors, Friday’s demonstration was much more public — disrupting a livestreamed event celebrating Microsoft’s legacy and future. Additionally, some employees gathered outside the venue to show their support for the cause.
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