Microsoft's Role in Israeli Military Operations Revealed Amid Controversy

Microsoft disclosed its involvement with the Israeli military in the Gaza conflict, providing AI and cloud services. Despite criticism and an internal review, the company found no evidence of misuse against Gaza civilians. Human rights groups express concerns over increasing AI military applications.

Microsoft has confirmed that it provided advanced AI and cloud computing services to the Israeli military during the conflict in Gaza, assisting in hostage rescue operations while defending against allegations that its technologies targeted civilians. The tech giant found no evidence that its tools were misused in the Gaza region.

This revelation follows an investigation by The Associated Press, which detailed Microsoft's collaboration with the Israeli Ministry of Defense since Hamas's attack in October 2023, where the use of commercial AI products by the Israeli military surged. The cooperation highlights the growing trend of tech companies supplying AI to militaries globally, sparking human rights concerns about potential civilian harm.

Amid increasing scrutiny, Microsoft launched an internal review involving an external firm, although specifics of the firm's findings were not disclosed. Critiques emphasize the complexity of AI use in military operations and the need for transparency about such technology contracts with governments.

(With inputs from agencies.)