Microsoft fires employee who interrupted CEOs speech to protest AI tech for Israeli military

Microsoft Fires Employee After Pro-Palestinian Protest at Satya Nadella’s Build Conference Speech

Microsoft has terminated a software engineer who disrupted CEO Satya Nadella’s keynote at the company’s annual Build developer conference to protest Microsoft’s ties to the Israeli military.

The employee, Joe Lopez, interrupted Nadella’s opening remarks on Monday at the Seattle Convention Center, voicing objections to the company’s provision of cloud and AI services used in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Security promptly escorted Lopez out of the room.

Following the incident, Lopez reportedly sent a company-wide email challenging Microsoft’s statements regarding the use of its Azure cloud platform in Gaza. His protest was one of several pro-Palestinian disruptions throughout the four-day event, which drew thousands of developers. According to attendees, at least three presentations by Microsoft executives were interrupted, and the company briefly cut audio during one livestreamed session. Demonstrators also gathered outside the venue.

This is not the first time Microsoft has dismissed employees over similar protests. In April, several staff members were let go after protesting at the company’s 50th-anniversary celebration over its military contracts with Israel.

Microsoft recently confirmed that it has provided AI services to the Israeli military, but claimed there is no evidence that its Azure or AI technologies have been directly used to harm civilians or target locations in Gaza.

The employee-led activist group No Azure for Apartheid said Lopez received a termination letter following the protest but was unable to access it. The group also alleged that Microsoft has blocked internal emails containing words like “Palestine” and “Gaza.”

Microsoft has not publicly responded to media inquiries regarding this week’s protests. The Build conference is scheduled to conclude on Thursday.