‘Mustafa, shame on you,’ proclaimed employee Ibtihal Aboussad, who approached the stage as Suleyman halted his speech. ‘You claim that you care about using AI for good but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military. Fifty-thousand people have died and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region.’

Responding to the protest, Suleyman said, ‘Thank you for your protest, I hear you,’ as Aboussad continued to express her views, stating that Suleyman and ‘all of Microsoft’ had blood on their hands. In a symbolic gesture, she threw a keffiyeh scarf onto the stage, representing support for Palestinians, before being escorted from the venue.

Another protester, Vaniya Agrawal, interrupted the event once more while Gates, Ballmer, and current CEO Satya Nadella were on stage, marking the first public gathering of the three since 2014.

Earlier this year, an Associated Press investigation revealed that AI models developed by Microsoft and OpenAI had played a role in an Israeli military program related to selecting bombing targets during recent conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. The investigation also recounted instances such as an airstrike that tragically struck a vehicle carrying innocent civilians.

In February, related protests led to five Microsoft employees being removed from a meeting with Nadella. However, Friday’s incident was more visible, occurring during a live-streamed celebration of the company’s history.

The company responded in a statement, saying, ‘We provide many avenues for all voices to be heard. 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.’

While denying further comment about potential consequences for the protesters, Aboussad reported losing access to work accounts following the event, indicating potential repercussions for both her and Agrawal.