Microsoft employee confronts AI chief over Israel contracts at 50th anniversary event

A Microsoft employee’s public protest against the company’s AI contracts with Israel has created significant tensions at the tech giant’s 50th anniversary celebration. The incident highlights the growing ethical concerns among tech workers about the military applications of artificial intelligence technology and represents one of the most visible internal challenges to Microsoft’s defense contracts to date.

The big picture: Software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad directly confronted Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman during the company’s anniversary event, accusing Microsoft of complicity in military operations in Gaza.

• Aboussad specifically used the phrase “war profiteer” and repeatedly stated that Microsoft has “blood on its hands” through its alleged AI contracts with Israel.
• After being removed from the event, Aboussad sent an email to multiple internal distribution lists reaching thousands of Microsoft employees to expand on her protest.

Key details: Aboussad, who works in Microsoft’s AI Platform organization, called attention to what she described as a $133 million contract between Microsoft and Israel’s Ministry of Defense.

• Her protest centered on allegations that Microsoft’s cloud and AI technologies are being used for surveillance and targeting operations in Gaza.
• She specifically called out Azure services as being employed for military purposes in the region.

What she’s saying: “Shame on you,” Aboussad directly told Suleyman during the event. “You are a war profiteer. Stop using AI for genocide. Stop using AI for genocide in our region.”

• “How dare you all celebrate when Microsoft is killing children. Shame on you all,” she continued in her public confrontation.

Call to action: The employee urged colleagues to sign a petition titled “No Azure for Apartheid” and pressure Microsoft leadership to terminate contracts with the Israeli military.

• She also called for broader awareness among Microsoft employees about the company’s military contracts and their potential humanitarian implications.
• The protest references Microsoft’s own Human Rights Statement, suggesting the company’s actions contradict its stated ethical commitments.

Why this matters: The incident reflects growing activism within major tech companies regarding the military and governmental applications of artificial intelligence technologies.

• This public confrontation represents one of the most direct challenges to Microsoft’s leadership regarding its defense contracts during a high-profile corporate event.
• The protest highlights the tension between tech companies’ business interests and the ethical concerns of their employees regarding how AI technologies are deployed globally.