After Microsoft Firing, Ibtihal Aboussad Calls for Global Product Boycott
Doha – Former Microsoft AI engineer Ibtihal Aboussad, who courageously confronted executives at the company's 50th anniversary celebration by exposing its role in powering the Israeli genocidal campaign against Gaza civilians, launched a powerful call Wednesday for a global boycott of the tech giant's products.
The Harvard graduate, who worked as a software engineer in Microsoft's AI division for three and a half years, released a video statement Wednesday urging people to stop using all Microsoft products, including Xbox, Copilot, and Candy Crush.
'The goal is to send a message to this company: we will not financially support you, and we will not use your products until you adopt humane principles,' she stated in the video shared on social media.
The Moroccan engineer's call for boycott comes just days after her termination from Microsoft, following her protest at the company's anniversary event in Redmond, Washington.
During the celebration, which was attended by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer, Aboussad interrupted AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman's keynote presentation about the company's AI assistant, Copilot.
Read also: Moroccans in Masses March in Rabat for Gaza Against Israeli Genocide
'You claim that you care for using AI for good, but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military,' Aboussad declared during the protest. 'You are a war profiteer. Stop using AI for genocide. You have blood on your hands. All of Microsoft has blood on its hands.'
In an email sent to Microsoft executives immediately after the protest, including CEO Satya Nadella and AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, Aboussad explained her actions: 'I spoke up today because after learning that my org was powering the genocide of my people in Palestine, I saw no other moral choice. I did not sign up to write code that violates human rights.'
The protest gained significant attention online, with many praising what they described as a 'brave' act. Her actions even drew commendation from Hamas. Microsoft, however, terminated her employment on Monday, citing 'just cause, wilful misconduct, disobedience or wilful neglect of duty.'
The controversy stems from broader concerns about tech companies' involvement in military operations. An Associated Press investigation earlier this year revealed that AI models from Microsoft and OpenAI had been incorporated into an Israeli military program for selecting bombing targets in Gaza and Lebanon.
In her latest video message, Aboussad also urged other tech workers to take similar stands: 'If anyone watching this video finds themselves in a similar position—working for a company that also violates humane principles—I ask you to raise your voice.'
The escalating situation follows ongoing tensions within Microsoft regarding its military contracts. In February, five Microsoft employees were removed from a meeting with CEO Satya Nadella for protesting these contracts.
The company maintains that while it provides 'many avenues for all voices to be heard,' this must be done without causing business disruptions.
According to recent figures, Israel's genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, has resulted in more than 166,000 Palestinian casualties, predominantly women and children, with over 11,000 people still missing. Tags: gaza genocideIbtihal AboussadIsrael genocideMicrosoft
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