Microsoft has message for employees it fired over pro-Palestine protests and everyone else

Microsoft has announced that both internal and external reviews found no evidence that its Azure cloud or AI technologies have been used by the Israeli military to cause harm to Palestinian civilians or others in Gaza. The statement comes amid ongoing scrutiny over the company’s ties to Israel, and just weeks after Microsoft fired two employees — including one of Indian origin — who staged a pro-Palestinian protest during the company’s 50th anniversary celebrations.Reports suggest that in recent months, there have also been repeated calls from within the company for Microsoft to sever its contracts with the Israeli government, citing ethical concerns about how its technology might be used in the ongoing conflict.The software giant explained that its relationship with the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) is a "standard commercial relationship." Following the reviews, Microsoft reported that it has "found no evidence that Microsoft’s Azure and AI technologies, or any of our other software, have been used to harm people or that IMOD has failed to comply with our terms of service or our AI Code of Conduct." The company's AI code of conduct mandates human oversight and access controls to prevent its services from causing harm in violation of the law."We do occasionally provide special access to our technologies beyond the terms of our commercial agreements. In addition to the commercial relationship with the IMOD, Microsoft provided limited emergency support to the Israeli government in the weeks following October 7, 2023, to help rescue hostages. We provided this help with significant oversight and on a limited basis, including approval of some requests and denial of others," the company said.Microsoft detailed that the review process involved "interviewing dozens of employees and assessing documents" to identify any indication that its technologies were being used to target or harm individuals in Gaza. However, the company acknowledged a limitation, noting that it "does not have visibility into how customers use our software on their own servers or other devices," thus restricting the scope of their findings.