SEATTLE (AP) — Microsoft has terminated the employment of a software engineer, Joe Lopez, following a significant incident during the company’s annual Build developer conference. Lopez interrupted CEO Satya Nadella's speech to express his discontent over Microsoft supplying technology to the Israeli military, which has been implicated in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. This dramatic protest occurred in the early moments of the conference, held on Monday at the Seattle Convention Center, and resulted in Lopez being escorted out of the room.
After the incident, Lopez shared a mass email with his colleagues, challenging Microsoft's assertions about the use of its Azure cloud computing platform in Gaza. His outburst was not an isolated event; it marked the beginning of multiple pro-Palestinian protests that transpired throughout the conference, which attracted thousands of software developers. At least three presentations by executives faced disruptions, with the company briefly cutting the audio for one of its livestreamed events. Outside the venue, groups of protesters also gathered, amplifying the unrest surrounding the conference.
Microsoft has a history of terminating employees who take actions against the company's operations in Israel. In April, several employees were let go after protesting during Microsoft’s 50th anniversary party, which addressed similar concerns regarding the company’s involvement in Israeli military activities.
Recently, Microsoft acknowledged its provision of artificial intelligence (AI) services to the Israeli military amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. However, the company asserted that it has found no evidence to suggest that its Azure platform or its AI technologies were directly used to target or harm individuals in the region. This statement has sparked considerable debate among employees and advocacy groups.
The advocacy group "No Azure for Apartheid," composed of current and former employees, claims that Joe Lopez received a termination letter shortly after his protest, although he encountered difficulties accessing it. This group has also raised concerns about Microsoft allegedly blocking internal communications that include terms such as "Palestine" and "Gaza," further indicating a contentious environment surrounding discussions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the company.
As the four-day Build conference continues until Thursday, Microsoft has not provided any public comments regarding its response to the protests that have unfolded at the event. The situation highlights the increasing intersection of corporate responsibility and political activism within major tech firms, raising questions about freedom of speech and employee treatment in the context of global conflicts.
