Microsoft workers protest against an army contract with a technician designed to help people kill: NPR

Microsoft workers call on tech giant to cancel US $ 480 million contract with US military says deal reaches "line" in weapons development by Microsoft for the first time . According to them, the use of HoloLens augmented reality technology of the company under the contract "is designed to help people kill."

In a letter For Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and chairman Brad Smith, the workers also said the company did not inform its engineers "of the intent of the software they are building."

The November contract is for a system called the Integrated Visual Augmentation System.

"The stated purpose of the contract is to" quickly develop, test and manufacture a unique platform that soldiers can use to combat, rehearse and train, providing increased lethality, mobility and situational awareness to ensure a safe and secure environment. over-confrontation against our current and future opponents, "the letter said.

"We are alarmed by the fact that Microsoft is working to provide military technology to the US military, thus helping the government of a country to" increase lethality "with the help of the tools we have designed, "wrote the workers. "We did not register to develop weapons and we ask for our opinion on how our work is used."

Bloomberg said the deal could eventually lead the military to buy more than 100,000 headphones from Microsoft. "The US military and the Israeli army have already used Microsoft's HoloLens devices during their training, but actual combat plans would be an important step forward," according to the report.

In October, Smith defended Microsoft's work with the military by writing on a company blog:

"First, we think the advocates of our country need our support and deserve it.Secondly, withdrawing from this market, is reducing our opportunity to participate in public debate on the best way to use the new technologies responsibly.We will not withdraw from the future.As positively as possible, we will work to help shape it. "

The Friday letter to Microsoft executives is the latest instance of US technology workers who defend their businesses against their industries or policies.

Last year, Google workers protested against the company's plan to create a censored search engine in China. And Google has decided not to renew its contract with the Pentagon after the resignation of the workers to protest against a controversial project using artificial intelligence for the analysis of drone sequences.

Salesforce, Microsoft, Amazon and Google technicians have asked their CEOs to sever ties and end contracts with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, and other government agencies.