08.04.2025 17:41
It was announced that Vaniya Agrawal and Ibtihal Aboussad were fired in response to the services provided by Microsoft to Israel during the company's 50th anniversary party. Kuwaiti billionaire businessman and software entrepreneur Abdullah Al-Dubos extended a formal job offer to Moroccan Ibtihal Aboussad, who resigned from Microsoft due to her actions.
According to a report on the American CNBC channel's website, a group representing employees announced that software engineers Agrawal and Aboussad from the company's artificial intelligence division were dismissed after protesting Microsoft's services provided to Israel. Kuwaiti billionaire businessman and software entrepreneur Abdullah Al-Dubos extended a formal job offer to Moroccan Ibtihal Aboussad, who resigned in protest against Microsoft.
In a message sent to Aboussad regarding the termination of her employment for "deliberate misconduct, insubordination, or intentional breach of duty," it was stated, "We concluded that the behavior in question was aimed at gaining recognition and disrupting this highly anticipated event as much as possible."
"MICROSOFT SUPPORTS THIS GENOCIDE IN OUR REGION"
The message sent to Agrawal noted that his resignation, which he planned to submit on April 11, was made "immediately" effective. The speech made by Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI, at the company's 50th anniversary party was interrupted by employees protesting Microsoft's agreements with Israel. Approaching the stage from the audience, Aboussad called out to Suleyman on stage, saying, "You claim to care about using artificial intelligence for good, but Microsoft is selling AI weapons to the Israeli army. 50,000 people have died, and Microsoft supports this genocide in our region."
Agrawal also shouted, "Shame on all of you, you are all hypocrites," at another event where Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, former CEO Steve Ballmer, and CEO Satya Nadella were on stage. Agrawal, who stated that 50,000 Palestinians were killed using Microsoft technology, was removed after saying, "Shame on all of you for celebrating over their blood. Cut your ties with Israel."
In an email he sent to Microsoft executives after his protest, Agrawal stated that he was not informed that his work would be used for military purposes and announced that he would resign.
ISRAEL USED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR BOMBARDMENTS
A study conducted by the Associated Press in early 2025 revealed that Microsoft and OpenAI's artificial intelligence models were used as part of the Israeli military program to select bombing targets in Gaza and Lebanon.