Why this Indian American was sacked by Microsoft? Did tech giant's AI aid bombings in Gaza?

Microsoft has sacked two employees, including Indian American Vaniya Agrawal, who disrupted its 50th-anniversary celebration last Friday, protesting the company’s use of AI technology in Israeli military operations amid revelations of its role in airstrikes in Gaza and Lebanon.

Ibtihal Aboussad was terminated by Microsoft Canada on Monday after interrupting a speech by Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman during the Redmond, Seattle event. Calling Suleyman a “war profiteer,” Aboussad accused the company of “using AI for genocide in our region” before security escorted her out.

The company added that she could have raised concerns confidentially to a manager instead.

Vaniya Agrawal, a software engineer who had submitted her resignation with a final day of April 11, faced immediate dismissal on Monday.

Why was Vaniya Agrawal let go?

Agrawal had disrupted a panel featuring Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, former CEO Steve Ballmer, and CEO Satya Nadella, shouting, “Shame on you all. You’re all hypocrites,” and claiming “50,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology.”

A manager’s email informed her that Microsoft had “decided to make your resignation immediately effective today,” according to The Verge.

What sparked the employee protests?

The protests were fuelled by an Associated Press investigation earlier this year, which revealed that AI models from Microsoft and OpenAI were used in an Israeli military program to select bombing targets during recent conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.

Friday’s disruptions were the most public escalation of unrest within Microsoft over its Israel ties, though not the first.

In February, five employees were removed from a meeting with Nadella for protesting similar contracts.

Both Aboussad and Agrawal are linked to No Azure for Apartheid, a group of Microsoft workers opposing the company’s $133 million contract with Israel’s Ministry of Defense, which they say powers surveillance and military operations in Gaza.

“We provide many avenues for all voices to be heard,” Microsoft said in a statement Friday. “Importantly, we ask that this be done in a way that does not cause a business disruption. If that happens, we ask participants to relocate. We are committed to ensuring our business practices uphold the highest standards.”

The company had initially declined to comment on further actions.

What did Agrawal say?

Agrawal’s mass email to colleagues, sent post-protest, accused Microsoft of complicity in “Israel’s apartheid regime and genocide,” citing the AP report and alleging that Azure and AI technologies underpin Israel’s “target bank” and population registry.

The anniversary event, meant to showcase Microsoft’s Copilot and AI advancements, was marred by protests and an external rally by No Azure for Apartheid.

Gates brushed off Agrawal’s outburst with a chuckle and an “alright,” before resuming his conversation.

Last year, dozens of Google employees were sacked after sit-ins at its New York and California offices over Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion AI contract with Israel. Those workers later filed a National Labor Relations Board complaint to reclaim their jobs.