Protests led by pro-Palestine activists, including former Microsoft engineer Vaniya Agrawal, have disrupted Microsoft’s Build 2025 conference in Seattle. Agrawal, an Indian-American software engineer, has been a vocal critic of Microsoft’s ties with Israel and has disrupted major events, including the company’s 50th-anniversary celebration in April. During the Build 2025 conference, Agrawal and fellow ex-employee Hossam Nasr interrupted a session on AI security, shouting down Microsoft’s Head of Security for AI, Neta Haiby, and Head of Responsible AI, Sarah Bird.
The protests are part of a larger movement within the tech sector, demanding accountability for Microsoft’s tech deals with Israel. Agrawal, who was fired shortly after her April protest, has become a visible face of tech-sector dissent, sharing ongoing protest imagery from Build 2025 on social media.
In her resignation letter, Agrawal criticized Microsoft’s alleged $133 million deal with Israel’s Ministry of Defence, accusing the company’s AI and Azure cloud services of supporting military operations against Palestinian people. She stated, “Microsoft cloud and AI enable the Israeli military to be more lethal and destructive in Gaza.”
The disruptions began on May 19, with an employee interrupting CEO Satya Nadella’s keynote by shouting “Free Palestine” and demanding accountability for Microsoft’s tech deals with Israel. The following day, a Palestinian tech worker stormed executive Jay Parikh’s Azure AI presentation, demanding to cut ties with Israel.
Agrawal’s actions have sparked a wave of protests, highlighting the growing tensions between tech companies and their employees over social responsibility and human rights.
