'Stop Using AI for Genocide': Microsoft Staffer Crashes 50th Bash Over Israel's AI-Powered Gaza Strikes

A Microsoft employee disrupted the company's 50th anniversary celebration in a bold protest against the alleged use of artificial intelligence (AI) by Israel in its military operations in Gaza. The intervention drew sharp attention to growing dissent within the tech industry over the ethical implications of deploying AI in armed conflict.

AI Protest Rocks Microsoft Milestone

The demonstration began during a keynote by Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI, who was presenting upcoming features for the company's AI assistant, Copilot. Before an audience that included company co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer, employee Ibtihal Aboussad interrupted the event.

'Mustafa, shame on you,' she shouted. '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.'

Suleyman paused and responded: 'Thank you for your protest, I hear you.' Aboussad declared that he and 'all of Microsoft' bore responsibility for the violence, then threw a keffiyeh onto the stage before being escorted out.

Shortly after the protest, Aboussad sent an email to thousands of employees, explaining her actions. 'I disrupted the speech of Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman because after learning that my org was powering the genocide of my people in Palestine, I saw no other moral choice.' She accused Microsoft of silencing its Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim staff, and said her team's work had been repurposed to assist surveillance and targeting efforts by the Israeli military.

Aboussad cited a report by the Associated Press which revealed Microsoft's AI tools were integrated into Israeli military systems that identify bombing targets. These include Azure services used to store and process surveillance data for military targeting. According to the No Azure for Apartheid campaign, Microsoft blocked replies, forwards, and reactions to Aboussad's email after it reportedly received hundreds of messages of support.

Second Protest Targets Microsoft Leadership

Another employee, Vaniya Agrawal, disrupted a separate panel featuring Gates, Ballmer, and current CEO Satya Nadella. In a letter shared on Medium, Agrawal announced her resignation and condemned Microsoft's role in military violence.

'Microsoft is complicit — they are a digital weapons manufacturer that powers surveillance, apartheid, and genocide,' she wrote. 'Even if we don't work directly in AI or Azure, our labour is tacit support.'

Agrawal referenced the same AP investigation, including a $133 million contract with Israel's Ministry of Defence and AI projects that support targeting databases and population registries. She added that Microsoft's products had been designated a boycott target by the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) campaign.

'I see no alternative but to use my last few days at Microsoft to speak up however I can, whether by disrupting Satya's talk or by sending this email today,' she continued. 'Microsoft leadership must divest from Israel and stop selling lethal technology to power apartheid and genocide.'

Fallout and Company Response

Both Agrawal and Aboussad lost access to their Microsoft accounts following the protest, but neither has received official confirmation regarding their employment status. Microsoft has not commented on whether disciplinary action would follow.

A spokesperson issued a statement: 'We provide many avenues for all voices to be heard. Importantly, we ask that this be done in a way that does not cause a business disruption.'

Rising Tech Worker Activism

This latest incident follows the removal of five Microsoft employees from a meeting with Nadella in February after they protested against similar contracts. While that incident remained internal, the 50th anniversary demonstration was live-streamed globally, marking a highly visible moment in a broader wave of activism.

Both protesters encouraged others to join the 'No Azure for Apartheid' campaign, sign petitions, and speak with colleagues about the company's contracts with the Israeli government.

The protests underscore the growing scrutiny tech companies face as they increasingly partner with defence and intelligence sectors. Microsoft's anniversary celebration—intended as a moment of unity and pride—has instead spotlighted the moral dilemmas surrounding AI development and its potential misuse in global conflicts.