WASHINGTON. Microsoft publicly acknowledged on Thursday that it has supplied advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing services to the Israeli military during the ongoing war in Gaza. The tech giant also confirmed its role in supporting efforts to locate and rescue Israeli hostages but denied any evidence that its technologies were used to target or harm civilians in Gaza.
In an unsigned corporate blog post, Microsoft admitted for the first time its deep involvement in the conflict that erupted after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel and led to tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza.
The admission comes nearly three months after an Associated Press investigation revealed Microsoft’s close partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Defense. According to the AP, the Israeli military’s use of commercial AI tools skyrocketed nearly 200 times following the Hamas attack. The military reportedly employs Microsoft’s Azure platform to transcribe, translate, and process intelligence gathered via mass surveillance, cross-checking it with in-house AI-enabled targeting systems.
Microsoft’s statement said the company provided the Israeli military with “software, professional services, Azure cloud storage and Azure AI services, including language translation,” and assisted in protecting Israel’s national cyberspace from external threats. It also disclosed granting “special access to our technologies beyond the terms of our commercial agreements” and providing “limited emergency support” to help rescue over 250 hostages taken by Hamas.
“We provided this help with significant oversight and on a limited basis, including approval of some requests and denial of others,” the company said. “We believe the company followed its principles on a considered and careful basis, to help save the lives of hostages while also honoring the privacy and other rights of civilians in Gaza.”
Microsoft initiated an internal review, along with hiring an external firm for additional fact-finding, prompted by employee concerns and media reports. However, the company did not disclose the external firm’s identity or release the report, nor did it provide detailed answers about how its AI technologies were used in military targeting.
The statement emphasized, “We do not have visibility into how customers use our software on their own servers or other devices,” adding that Microsoft cannot control how its products may be used when deployed through other cloud providers.
Microsoft also stressed that the Israeli military, like all customers, is bound by its Acceptable Use Policy and AI Code of Conduct, which prohibit the use of its products to cause harm in ways prohibited by law. “We have found no evidence” that the Israeli military violated those terms, the company said.
The Israeli military’s use of AI and cloud services is not limited to Microsoft; Google, Amazon, Palantir, and other American tech companies also maintain contracts with Israel’s defense forces.
Experts like Emelia Probasco, senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, noted Microsoft’s rare stance. “We are in a remarkable moment where a company, not a government, is dictating terms of use to a government that is actively engaged in a conflict,” Probasco said. “It’s like a tank manufacturer telling a country you can only use our tanks for these specific reasons. That is a new world.”
The Israeli military’s operations to rescue hostages and combat Hamas militants have resulted in significant civilian casualties. For instance, a February 2024 operation in Rafah freed two Israeli hostages but killed 60 Palestinians; a June 2024 raid in the Nuseirat refugee camp rescued four hostages but caused at least 274 Palestinian deaths. Overall, more than 50,000 people, many of them women and children, have died in Israeli operations across Gaza and Lebanon.
On Friday, No Azure for Apartheid, a group of current and former Microsoft employees, demanded full public release of the company’s investigative report. Hossam Nasr, a former Microsoft employee and Gaza rights activist, criticized Microsoft’s statement as a “PR stunt” to “whitewash” its military ties.
Cindy Cohn, executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, welcomed Microsoft’s transparency but highlighted many unanswered questions. “It is hard to square that with what’s actually happening on the ground,” Cohn said, urging tech companies to be more forthcoming about their military collaborations.
As the war continues, Microsoft’s role in providing AI technologies to the Israeli military underscores the growing complexity and controversy surrounding the use of commercial artificial intelligence in modern conflicts.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
