The 50th anniversary ceremony of Microsoft took an unexpected turn on 4 April (Friday) when A Pro-Filistin protest A main speech was interrupted by the company’s AI CEO Mustafa Suleman. This protest was part of the growing backlash on the technical industry participation in the supply of a equipment. Israeli army Amidst the ongoing Gaza struggle.
This protest began during the presentation of Suleman about the long -term vision of Microsoft for its AI accessory, Microsoft updates and Microsoft’s AI assistant. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, former CEO Steve Balmer and current CEO Satya Nadella were seated in the audience when there was a protest.
A Microsoft employee, Ibtihal Abousad, interrupted the speech “Mustafa, Shem on You,” before walking towards the stage. Suleyman briefly stated that he continued: “You claim to care about using AI for good, but Microsoft Sells AI weapons to the Israeli army. Fifty thousand people have died, and Microsoft tells about this massacre in our area.”
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Ibtihal Abusad said, “Stop using AI for the massacre,” and thrown a kefihah- which has become a symbol of Palestinian solidarity on stage.
During the speech by Mustafa Suleman at Microsoft’s 50th anniversary Copilot Live event, someone suddenly started shouting, where Bill Gates and Steve Bowler were also in the audience. pic.twitter.com/9m0ebtponz
– G (@beforeagi) 4 April, 2025
While Ibtihal Abusad interrupted the incident, AI CEO Suleman remained calm, and replied, “Thank you for your opposition, I hear you,”. Meanwhile, Abousad accused him and Microsoft of having “blood on his hands”.
Later in this incident, another employee, Vanya Aggarwal also staged a protest- this time during a segment in which the three CEOs of Microsoft: Gates, Bowler and Nadella were depicted. This was the first time Trio appeared on stage together since 2014.
These protests follow an Associated Press Investigation earlier this year, showing that the AI models developed by Microsoft and Openai were used to help identify the bombing goals by the Israeli army allegedly by the Israeli army. Such an example in 2023 included a tragic aerial attack, accidentally killing three children and their grandmother in Lebanon.
How Microsoft responded to protests
While the company has not confirmed any disciplinary action, both Abusad and Aggarwal have lost access to their work accounts soon after the incident, the report states. Aboussad told AP that he was not contacted by Microsoft and suspects that they have been abolished.
