The demonstration commenced on Friday during a presentation by Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, who was updating the audience on product developments and the long-term vision for the company’s AI assistant, Copilot. The audience included Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer.
“Mustafa, shame on you,” shouted Microsoft employee Ibtihal Aboussad, as she approached the stage, causing Suleyman to pause his speech.
“You claim to care about using AI for good, yet Microsoft supplies AI weapons to the Israeli military. Over 50,000 people have lost their lives, and Microsoft is complicit in this genocide in our region,” she added.
Suleyman responded, “Thank you for your protest, I hear you.”
Aboussad continued her protest, accusing Suleyman and Microsoft of having blood on their hands, and threw a keffiyeh scarf—a symbol of support for the Palestinian cause—onto the stage before being escorted out.
The Associated Press reported that AI models from Microsoft and OpenAI are part of an Israeli military program aimed at selecting bombing targets in conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
Another protester, Microsoft employee Vaniya Agrawal, disrupted a segment of the celebration with Gates, Ballmer, and current CEO Satya Nadella on stage—the first public gathering of the three men since 2014 who have led Microsoft.
Earlier in February, five Microsoft employees were removed from a meeting with Nadella for protesting the contracts with the Israeli military.
While the February event was private, the protest on Friday was highly visible, happening during a live-streamed showcase of the company’s legacy and future. Some employees also gathered in support outside the event.
“We provide many avenues for all voices to be heard,” the company said in a statement.
“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.”
Other companies and educational institutions have faced protests due to their links with Israel amid the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza as a result of the Israeli military operation.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports at least 50,609 Palestinians have been confirmed dead and 115,063 wounded. The Government Media Office has updated the death toll to over 61,700, including thousands presumed dead under the rubble.
The current conflict, which began in October 2023 following a Hamas attack on Israel, has resulted in the deaths of at least 1,139 people and the capture of more than 200 individuals, according to Israeli officials.
