Former Microsoft engineer Vaniya Agrawal continues anti-Israel protests by disrupting Build 2025 AI event
Tensions over
Microsoft
's controversial Israel cloud agreements are boiling over once again, this time inside its own developer conference halls. On day three of the
Build 2025
event in Seattle, the company was forced to pause an
AI security
session as former employees
Vaniya Agrawal
and Hossam Nasr confronted executives on stage.
The disruption came during a high-profile presentation led by Neta Haiby, Microsoft's Head of AI Security, and Sarah Bird, the company's Head of Responsible AI. As the session progressed, Agrawal and Nasr loudly interrupted, accusing the company of complicity in the war in Gaza and demanding Microsoft sever ties with the Israeli military.
Also read:
Indian-American techie shouts 'Shame on you' to Microsoft bosses days before her resignation: Who is Vaniya Agrawal?
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The episode marked the latest in a string of escalating protests targeting Microsoft's ongoing cloud services agreement with Israel, reportedly worth $133 million.
Build 2025 marred by protests over Israel ties
This year's Build 2025, intended to showcase Microsoft's innovations in artificial intelligence and
cloud computing
, has instead become a flashpoint for internal dissent and activism. On May 19, a Microsoft employee interrupted CEO Satya Nadella's keynote address with a protest. A day later, a Palestinian tech professional disrupted an Azure AI session led by Jay Parikh, Executive Vice President of CoreAI, calling for Microsoft to "cut ties" with Israel.
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Agrawal's protest, however, adds deeper weight due to her public resignation and repeated activism. She first made headlines in April when she stormed Microsoft's 50th anniversary celebration at its Redmond headquarters, confronting Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Nadella in person. Her actions led to her dismissal from the company.
Vaniya Agrawal: from AI engineer to protest leader
Agrawal had joined Microsoft in September 2023 after spending over three years at Amazon. At Microsoft, she worked in the AI division, but her tenure ended just seven months later when she submitted a fiery resignation letter denouncing what she called Microsoft's role in enabling 'genocide in the Gaza Strip.'
Also read:
Microsoft says it provided AI to Israeli military for war but denies use to harm people in Gaza
"Microsoft cloud and AI enable the Israeli military to be more lethal and destructive in Gaza," she wrote in a company-wide email before leaving the firm on April 11.
Microsoft swiftly condemned the disruptions, calling the behavior 'hostile, unprovoked, and highly inappropriate.' Alongside Agrawal, another employee involved in the April anniversary protest was also terminated.
Despite the backlash, Agrawal has remained defiant. Her repeated interventions, including at Build 2025, suggest a growing movement within the tech community questioning corporate ties with military regimes and demanding greater ethical accountability in AI and cloud computing operations.
Microsoft under pressure amid global backlash
Microsoft's cloud services deal with Israel's Ministry of Defence has drawn increasing scrutiny from activists and employees alike. Critics argue the company's AI and Azure platforms are not only supporting military logistics but also exacerbating human rights violations in the Gaza Strip.
Also read:
Protester shouts 'show how Microsoft is killing Palestinians' during CEO Satya Nadella's key speech; Watch video here
These employee-led protests are part of a broader trend across Silicon Valley, where tech workers are using their platforms to challenge corporate policies tied to global conflicts. As Microsoft continues to invest heavily in AI and expand its cloud footprint, the ethical dimensions of these contracts may become a permanent issue on its public stage.
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