Microsoft has blocked access to some of its artificial intelligence and cloud services for a unit of the Israeli military after finding evidence that its technology was being used in widescale surveillance of Palestinians.
The move follows reports by The Associated Press and The Guardian earlier this year detailing how Israel’s Defense Ministry had deployed Microsoft’s Azure platform to support its military operations in Gaza and the West Bank.
Brad Smith, Microsoft’s vice chair and president, said in a blog post Thursday that the company was acting to enforce its terms of service. An AP investigation in February revealed a surge in Israel’s use of Microsoft products after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, including large-scale AI translation and data storage services.
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The Guardian, in partnership with +972 Magazine and Local Call, later reported that Israel’s Unit 8200 developed an AI-driven mass surveillance system with Microsoft tools, analyzing millions of Palestinian phone calls daily.
Microsoft has not confirmed which military unit is losing access but acknowledged the violations. Israeli officials downplayed the impact, while activists urged the company to cut broader ties with the military.
Source: Agency