Microsoft Employee Protests Company’s Work with Israeli Government
Microsoft Employee Protests Company’s Work with Israeli Government On the morning of Microsoft’s Build developer conference in Seattle, Washington, something unexpected happened. As CEO Satya Nadella began speaking on stage, a protester stood up and shouted, “ Free Palestine! ” That protester was Joe Lopez , a Microsoft engineer who had worked at the company for four years. He was protesting Microsoft’s involvement with the Israeli government, especially in its use of cloud and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology . Security quickly removed Lopez and other protesters from the conference hall, but the message was already loud and clear: some Microsoft employees are deeply unhappy with the company’s role in global conflicts. This protest wasn’t the first . Just a few weeks earlier, two former Microsoft employees disrupted the company’s 50th anniversary event, calling out Microsoft leaders and accusing them of supporting violence in Gaza through their technology. These actions are...