'We did not sign up to develop weapons' say Microsoft employees protesting $479 million HoloLens army contract

'We did not sign up to develop weapons' say Microsoft employees protesting $479 million HoloLens army contract

5 years ago
Anonymous $Dftgs0JzgE

https://www.pcgamer.com/we-did-not-sign-up-to-develop-weapons-say-microsoft-employees-protesting-dollar479-million-hololens-army-contract/

$479,197,708.33—that's how much a US Army contract will pay Microsoft for an "Integrated Visual Augmentation System." The contract was awarded to Microsoft on November 20, and today some of the company's employees have written an open letter to CEO Satya Nadella and president Brad Smith protesting the move and asking the company to "Cease developing any and all weapons technologies."

The letter, titled "HoloLens For Good, Not War," begins with the statement that "we refuse to create technology for warfare and oppression. We are alarmed that Microsoft is working to provide weapons technology to the U.S. Military, helping one country's government 'increase lethality' using tools we build. We did not sign up to develop weapons, and we demand a say in how our work is used."