Microsoft confirmed on Thursday it provided advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing services to the Israeli military during the Gaza conflict, emphasizing its tools were used to locate hostages but denying involvement in lethal operations. The company stated its internal review found no evidence that Azure platform technologies directly harmed civilians, though it acknowledged limited visibility into how clients deploy its software on third-party servers.
The announcement, published in a corporate blog post without an author’s name, marks Microsoft’s first public disclosure of its wartime collaboration. This partnership highlights a broader trend of tech firms supplying AI solutions to militaries worldwide, including in Ukraine and the U.S., raising ethical concerns among human rights advocates. Critics argue AI systems risk amplifying errors in conflict zones, potentially endangering civilians.
Microsoft said it conducted an external review following employee concerns and media scrutiny but declined to share the full report. The company defended its "principled" approach, claiming it denied some military requests while approving others to "save lives" and protect civilian rights. However, transparency advocates and employee groups like No Azure for Apartheid demand full disclosure of the findings.
Georgetown University analyst Emelia Probasco noted the significance of a corporation setting usage terms for a government in active conflict, calling it a "new world" in military-tech relations. Meanwhile, former Microsoft employee Hossam Nasr criticized the statement as a "PR stunt," citing ongoing worker dissent over the company’s ties to the Israeli military.
Other U.S. tech giants, including Google, Amazon, and Palantir, also hold contracts with the Israeli military for AI and cloud services. Cindy Cohn of the Electronic Frontier Foundation praised Microsoft’s partial transparency but questioned how effectively the company can monitor AI applications in conflict zones.
