A technical setback in Microsoft Build 2025 caused confidential information about Walmart, one of the company’s corporate customers. Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence Safety Manager Neta Haiby, protesting, interrupted during the session of the screen sharing the internal correspondence with the participants. In these correspondences, Walmart’s information was that Microsoft is preparing to use ENTRA web and AI Gateway services. This leakage of information is considered an unfortunate development that contradicts Microsoft’s privacy sensitivity.
The session was a presentation on Microsoft’s responsible artificial intelligence practices and security practices. Another name that made a presentation with Haiby was Sarah Bird, the chairman of the company’s responsible artificial intelligence. But during the conversation, two former Microsoft employees appeared on the stage and protested cloud contracts with the Israeli government. The protesters claimed that Microsoft was associated with civilian deaths in Gaza and described the discourse of artificial intelligence as hypocritical.
Open Microsoft Teams window gave secrets
During the event, the microphones were closed, the cameras were turned to the ground and the protesters were removed from the hall. The presentation was then restarted, but this time the Microsoft Teams window, which was open on Haiby’s screen, was on the agenda. The internal correspondence in this window clearly showed the extent to which Walmart is preparing to integrate Microsoft’s AI solutions. Especially the names of ENTRA and AI Gateway services were clearly viewed.
“Walmart is ready to set out with Walmart, Entra Web and AI Gateway, in a message of a cloud solution architect of Microsoft. In the same speech, the interpretation of an artificial intelligence engineer working in Walmart was also included. “Microsoft is very pleased with this cooperation,“ Microsoft is very pleased with artificial intelligence safety, Eig said Microsoft’s confidence in the security approach. These assessments show that Walmart plans to deepen his relationship with Microsoft in the field of artificial intelligence.
Walmart was already using Azure OpenAI services in various operations. Together with these new services, the retail giant aims to support customer experience with smarter systems. Microsoft’s Entra service, identity and access management; AI Gateway serves as a safe passage for artificial intelligence applications. In addition, the risks of such integrations for institutional structures should not be ignored.
Microsoft’s Build activity has been raised not only with product announcements, but also through protests. What happened at this year’s event was recorded as the third case of protest in the last week. The day before, the name at the head of Microsoft’s Coreai unit was on the stage while talking. At the opening of the event, CEO Satya Nadella’s speech was again divided by an employee.
Hossam Nasr, who is in the protest, is an employee who was previously ended by Microsoft. Nasr was dismissed from his post due to his commemoration for civilians killed in Gaza. The other protester Vaniya Agrawal, on the other hand, had a similar action during the 50th anniversary celebration of the company leaders, including Satya Nadella. Although Agrawal resigned shortly before the protest, he performed his action without saying goodbye to the company.
Microsoft, in a statement last week, announced how to use technology in the war in Gaza. The company stated that it includes an independent external company in this research process. However, in the public opinion, transparency demands for Microsoft’s relationship with the Israeli Defense Ministry continue to increase. The question of how artificial intelligence practices can be used in conflict zones does not fall from the agenda.