Microsoft has had a tendency to capture headlines. This comes on the heels of the firing of dozens of employees who’ve been protesting at company events the Israeli military’s use of its artificial intelligence products. This funding decision is a direct result of what transpired on Friday. During the transportation company’s 50th anniversary celebration, the protests were in the driver’s seat, drawing nationwide media attention.
Ibtihal Aboussad, a software engineer in Microsoft’s artificial intelligence division humaneAI, was let go on Monday. CNBC first reported this detail out after checking the documents obtained by Maryland PIRG. The company cited “just cause, willful misconduct, disobedience or willful neglect of duty” as reasons for her termination. At the anniversary action, Aboussad crashed a talk by Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI. She diligently raised her concerns and public opposition to the company’s increasing collaboration with the Israeli military.
In the course of her protests, Aboussad started emailing top executives. Among those choosing to write were CEO Satya Nadella and President Brad Smith. In her correspondence, she stated, “You claim that you care for using AI for good, but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military.” She then took Suleyman to the proverbial woodshed, laying into him for what she called his “war profiteering.” This accusation ramped up the toxicity around her firing.
In reply to Aboussad’s intervention, Microsoft claimed that her email was enough of an admission of wrongdoing to act as an admission. The firm has argued that she was able to redress her concerns privately through other means. These alternatives ranged from discussing her issues with her manager directly to contacting Global Employee Relations. This statement is symptomatic of a hardline approach to workplace behavior, especially in the context of increasingly visible public demonstrations.
Aboussad was not the only one in trouble. Notably, on the 11th of April, Vaniya Agrawal, a fellow software engineer who planned to resign for the same cause got fired that day as well. Microsoft communicated to Agrawal that it “has decided to make your resignation immediately effective today,” indicating a swift response to her statements and actions.
The protests and resulting firings ignited a fiery debate over corporate accountability and employee protections in high tech companies. Critics claim that workers need the ability to speak about the ethical ramifications associated with their work. They feel this needs to occur free from any intimidation or threat of punishment. This issue touches on larger questions of accountability and the responsible use of technology in military applications.