Latest news with #Responsible
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
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? by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo 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. Live Events 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.
Associated Press
30-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
RMI Releases New Standard Suite for Social, Environmental, OHS and Governance Risks
ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 30, 2025 /3BL/ - The Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI), an initiative of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), today announced the release of its new standard suite that provides a common framework against which companies can assess environmental, social, occupational health and safety, and governance performance in their operations and mineral supply chains. The new standard suite expands the due diligence toolkit for responsible sourcing, processing and manufacturing of raw materials to meet new and emerging regulatory requirements and to encourage continuous improvement of supplier practices across a comprehensive set of indicators. The new standard suite includes the revised Facility Standard for Social, Environmental, OHS and Governance Risks, applicable for assessment of a mineral processor's operations; and the Supply Chain Due Diligence Module Plus, focused on risk management systems for sourcing primary and secondary materials. The module is an add-on available only in combination with the RMI's Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) standards or Downstream Assessment Program (DAP). The new standard suite provides a strengthened framework for risk management, based on internationally recognized guidelines including the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct. The standards were also designed to support requirements outlined in new mandatory due diligence regulations, including the EU Battery Regulation and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. These RMI standards help companies identify, assess and mitigate risks, remedy impacts, monitor and report on sustainability management systems, and enhance transparency and accountability within their supply chains. The RMI recognizes that the evolving regulatory landscape and voluntary standards present a significant expansion of expectations, actions, and investment by companies all along the minerals value chain. Thus, in concert with the new standard suite, the RMI has also expanded its team providing technical assistance, as well as new trainings, guidance and tools available to mineral processors engaged in an RMI assessment, free of charge. 'With this new standard suite and accompanying training and technical assistance resources, the RMI has significantly expanded its due diligence support to RMI members and mineral processors in our assessment program. The RMI standards remain rooted in longstanding international norms while now reflecting newly emerging company needs and stakeholder expectations for regulatory compliance, managing sustainability risks and impacts, and fostering responsible mineral supply chains,' said Jennifer Peyser, Executive Director of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI). The standard suite underwent an extensive review process in 2024-2025, beginning with benchmarking against new and incoming regulations, including the EU Battery Regulation, the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, and the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act. The review process included consultations with RMI members, the public, and the RMI's Multi-Stakeholder Standards Advisory Committee to ensure alignment with regulatory developments, stakeholder priorities, and industry practices and practicalities. Learn more about the new RMI standards and associated tools here on the RMI website. About the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) The Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI), an initiative of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), is a multi-industry initiative with more than 500 member companies. Its members contribute to the development and international uptake of a range of tools and resources focused on minerals supply chain due diligence, including independent third-party assessments for smelters, Minerals Reporting Templates, supply chain risk assessment tools, and guidance documents on responsible sourcing of all minerals/metals. RMI members also have access to specialized due diligence tools, including country of origin data and the RMI Facility Database. The RMI runs regular workshops on responsible sourcing issues and contributes to policy development with civil society organizations and governments. For more information, visit Media ContactJarrett Bens, Senior Director of CommunicationsResponsible Business AlliancePhone: +1 571.858.5721 [email protected]
Gulf Business
10-02-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
G42, Microsoft unveil Responsible AI Foundation
Image: WAM G42 and Supported by Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the foundation aims to promote responsible AI standards and best practices across the Middle East and Global South. Inception, a subsidiary of G42, will serve as the Programme Lead for the foundation, advancing its mission to ensure that AI development remains both ethical and inclusive. Microsoft, in collaboration with Responsible AI Foundation's focus areas The Responsible AI Foundation will launch with two key areas: Responsible AI research : The foundation will lead cutting-edge research into both the technical and ethical elements of Responsible AI. This includes developing methodologies for AI safety, bias mitigation techniques, and explainability tools. Collaboration with global and regional research institutions will set new standards for AI fairness, transparency, and accountability. Responsible AI implementation and governance : The foundation will design frameworks to ensure the ethical development and deployment of AI systems that account for cultural diversity. These frameworks will involve risk assessment models, external ethics boards, technical audit tools, and adaptable governance guidelines to ensure that AI adoption is responsible, inclusive, and tailored to regional needs. Additionally, the AI for Good Lab in Abu Dhabi will serve as a regional hub, working with NGOs and governmental organizations to harness AI in addressing societal challenges in the Middle East and Global South. The first researchers at the Abu Dhabi hub will begin their work in March of this year.
