Brian Eno Urges Microsoft to Cut Ties with Israeli Military, Donates Windows 95 Fee to Gaza Victims

Brian Eno, renowned for composing the Windows 95 startup chime, has publicly called on Microsoft to sever its ties with the Israeli military amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. In an open letter titled "Not in My Name," Eno condemned Microsoft's provision of AI and cloud services to Israel's Ministry of Defense, labeling such support as complicity in alleged war crimes and systematic ethnic cleansing. He criticized the company's role in enabling surveillance and military operations, referencing a Microsoft blog post that acknowledged these service provisions but claimed limited visibility into their use. Eno pledged to donate his original fee from the Windows 95 startup sound to aid victims of the conflict in Gaza and urged artists and technologists to hold Microsoft accountable. His stance aligns with his long-standing support for the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. Microsoft has stated it conducted an internal review and found no evidence that its technologies were used to violate international law, but Eno and others remain critical of the company's involvement.