Over 50 Microsoft employees have demanded the company end a deal with the US military, set to provide augmented reality technology to the Armed Forces.
The group has stated Microsoft鈥檚 new headset, HoloLens, must not be used to 鈥渉elp people kill鈥�.
Microsoft agreed to the $479m (拢367m) deal last November, agreeing to develop a platform, involving 100,000 headsets being used by soldiers. HoloLens, first released to developers in March 2016, allows its wearer to see digital images laid over the real world around them.
On Friday, a letter was sent around Microsoft and has since been backed by over 50 employees across multiple departments.
鈥淢icrosoft must stop in its activities to empower the US Army鈥檚 ability to cause harm and violence,鈥� it reads.
鈥淲e did not sign up to develop weapons, and we demand a say in how our work is used.鈥�
In response a Microsoft spokesperson said, “we always appreciate feedback from employees and have many avenues for employee voices to be heard”.
The letter from employees demands Microsoft stop developing 鈥渁ny and all鈥� weapons technologies and immediately cancel the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) contract.
Brad Smith, Microsoft鈥檚 president, has said employees who are unhappy with the firm鈥檚 military work will be allowed to work in other departments. However, employees, through this latest letter, have suggested this idea is flawed.
鈥淢icrosoft fails to inform its engineers on the intent of the software they are building.
“There are many engineers who contributed to HoloLens before this contract even existed, believing it would be used to help architects and engineers build buildings and cars, to help teach people how to perform surgery or play the piano, to push the boundaries of gaming, and to connect with the Mars Rover (RIP).
“These engineers have now lost their ability to make decisions about what they work on, instead finding themselves implicated as war profiteers.鈥�
Amazon鈥檚 chief executive Jeff Bezos, however, has said the firm would enthusiastically work with the military. 聽During an on-stage interview he said, “this is a great country – it needs to be defended鈥�.
