During Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event, a protest erupted when employee Ibtihal Aboussad confronted Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman regarding the company’s use of AI in military operations. Aboussad boldly stated, “Shame on you. You are a war profiteer. Stop using AI for genocide in our region. All of Microsoft has blood on its hands. How dare you celebrate while Microsoft is killing children?”
Sources from Microsoft confirmed to The Verge that shortly after her removal from the event, Aboussad sent an email to various distribution lists within the company, addressing her concerns. Here is her email in full:
Hi all,
I disrupted the speech of Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman during the company’s 50th anniversary celebration. Here’s why.
My name is Ibtihal, and I have been a software engineer on Microsoft’s AI Platform for 3.5 years. I felt compelled to speak out because I learned that my organization was contributing to the genocide of my people in Palestine. Microsoft has continuously attempted to silence dissenting voices, particularly from our Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim community. Many employees have faced intimidation and harassment for raising these issues, with some even being fired for holding a vigil.
We are witnessing a genocide.
Over the past 1.5 years, I have witnessed the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people by Israel, characterized by severe human rights violations such as indiscriminate bombings and the targeting of civilian structures. These actions have been condemned by the UN, ICC, and various human rights organizations. The suffering of innocent children and families has deeply affected me.
Currently, Israel’s military actions in Gaza have reportedly killed over 300,000 Gazans in the past 1.5 years, with recent reports indicating that 15 paramedics were killed in a targeted manner—illustrating the gravity of these war crimes. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s AI technologies contribute to these operations.
We are complicit.
Joining the AI Platform, I was excited to work on technology that benefits humanity. However, I was unaware that my work would support the Israeli military’s efforts to surveil and harm civilians. If I had known my contributions would facilitate such actions, I would not have participated.
According to reports, Microsoft has a $133 million contract with Israel’s Ministry of Defense. The Israeli military’s use of Microsoft and OpenAI technologies has surged significantly, with data stored on Microsoft servers doubling to over 13.6 petabytes since October 2023.
Microsoft Azure is utilized by the Israeli military to compile intelligence from mass surveillance, including communication interception. The AI systems developed by Microsoft have enabled more lethal military operations in Gaza, increasing the scale of destruction.
Microsoft’s collaboration with the Israeli military has resulted in substantial profits and has led to its designation as a primary target for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
Regardless of personal beliefs, we must reflect on the implications of our work. Is contributing to lethal AI technologies a legacy we wish to uphold? Silence equates to complicity, and we must make our voices heard against Microsoft’s involvement in these human rights violations.
This is why I chose to speak out today. I urge all employees to join me in demanding that Microsoft cease its contracts with entities involved in genocide.
Call to Action
Silence is complicity. As employees, we must demand that Microsoft act ethically and stop selling technology to the Israeli military.
For those concerned about this situation, I encourage you to:
- Sign the No Azure for Apartheid petition: We will not write code that kills.
- Join the campaign to raise awareness among fellow Microsoft employees.
- Engage in conversations with co-workers about these critical issues.
- Contact leadership to express your concerns about these contracts.
Microsoft’s human rights statement prohibits retaliation against anyone voicing concerns. Our collective voices can drive change, just as they have in the past.
Sincerely,
A concerned Microsoft employee
