Microsoft admitted Thursday that it has been providing advanced artificial intelligence and cloud computing services to the Israeli military during its ongoing conflict with Gaza, though the tech giant emphasized these technologies were not used to cause harm.
The company issued a statement on May 15 confirming it conducted both internal and external assessments following reports that its technology may have been involved in military operations in Gaza.
“Microsoft provides IMOD with software, professional services, Azure cloud services, and Azure AI services, including language translation,” the company stated. “As with many governments around the world, we also work with the Israeli government to protect its national cyberspace against external threats.”
Microsoft Acknowledges Israel Military Tech Partnership Amid Gaza Conflict
This marks Microsoft’s first public acknowledgment of its involvement in the conflict, which began after Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis. The subsequent Israeli military response has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties in Gaza.
The admission follows an Associated Press investigation published three months ago that revealed previously undisclosed details about Microsoft’s partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Defense. According to that report, the Israeli military’s use of commercial AI products increased nearly 200 times following the Hamas attack.
Microsoft described its relationship with the Israeli military as “a standard commercial relationship” where Israel, as the customer, remains bound by all Microsoft policies. The company maintains it has found no evidence of its technologies being used to harm people.
“Based on our review, including both our internal assessments and external review, we have 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 statement read.
However, Microsoft did acknowledge providing special access to its technologies beyond standard terms in certain circumstances. Specifically, the company revealed that it gave “limited emergency support” to the Israeli government shortly after the Hamas attack to assist in the location of hostages.
Microsoft’s Response to Concerns Over Israeli Military Use
The message strongly avoided responding to some of the questions about precisely how the Israeli army is employing Microsoft’s technologies. The firm explained this avoidance by stating, “Microsoft does not have visibility into how customers use our software on their own servers or other devices.”
Technology companies have faced increasing criticism for their role in today’s wars, with their critics labeling them as unethical for providing advanced technologies that could end up in war efforts.
Microsoft’s statement would appear to be made to respond to such criticisms while explaining its business relationships.
The war in Gaza continues to cause havoc among civilian populations. Human rights groups have long advocated for technology firms to be more open about the ways in which their products and services are used to wage war.
For the company Microsoft, the revelation is a balancing act between keeping profitable government contracts and ensuring public accountability for the use of its technology in war.
Microsoft’s press release raises more questions than answers regarding what particular capabilities are being offered to Israel and if and how Microsoft is really capable of assuring that its technology isn’t indirectly killing Gaza civilians.
As the war rages on, the place of technology firms in contemporary warfare is one that remains controversial and raises issues over the lines that divide commercial from military technology.
