Microsoft has fired two software engineers who objected to the Israeli military using the company’s artificial intelligence products. These engineers chose the company’s 50th anniversary event to voice their protests, so it’s probably safe to assume that played a role in the decision.
From CNBC:
Microsoft terminates jobs of engineers who protested use of AI products by Israel’s militaryMicrosoft terminated the employment of two software engineers who protested at company events Friday over the Israeli military’s use of the company’s artificial intelligence products, according to documents viewed by CNBC.Ibtihal Aboussad, a software engineer in the company’s AI division who is based in Canada, was fired Monday over “just cause, wilful misconduct, disobedience or wilful neglect of duty,” according to one of the documents.Another Microsoft software engineer, Vaniya Agrawal, had said she would resign from the company on April 11. But Microsoft terminated her role Monday, according to an internal message viewed by CNBC. The company wrote that it “has decided to make your resignation immediately effective today.”Both employees chose Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event to publicly voice their criticism.What Microsoft had hoped would be a celebratory period has turned into a brutal few days for the company, which is being hit, along with the rest of the market, by President Donald Trump’s widespread tariffs.
More from the Associated Press:
The protests began Friday when Microsoft software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad walked up to a stage where an executive was announcing new product features and a long-term vision for Microsoft’s AI ambitions.“You claim that you care about using AI for good but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military,” Aboussad shouted at Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. “Fifty-thousand people have died and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region.”The protest forced Suleyman to pause his talk, which was livestreamed from Microsoft’s campus in Redmond, Washington. Among the participants at the 50th anniversary of Microsoft’s founding were co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer.
Listen to the audience groan as Agrawal begins her protest.
And here’s the other one.
These two engineers should look on the bright side. They can now devote themselves full-time to activism and protests. It might not be as lucrative as being an engineer for Microsoft, but it’s clearly their real passion.
Featured image via Twitter video.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY