Jeff Bezos is set to take on a new role as co-CEO of Project Prometheus, an emerging artificial intelligence startup he is partially funding. The company’s complete plans remain largely under wraps, but it is reported to be developing AI technologies aimed at enhancing manufacturing across various sectors, including computing, automobiles, and aerospace.
Ambitious funding and leadership
Project Prometheus has quickly become one of the best-funded early-stage AI ventures globally, securing US$6.2 billion in investment, including a significant contribution from Bezos himself. Alongside providing financial backing, Bezos will share leadership responsibilities with co-founder Vik Bajaj. Bajaj, a trained physicist and chemist, previously worked at Google X, the company’s experimental “moonshot factory,” and later led Verily, a health technology company under Alphabet.
The combination of Bezos’s business experience and Bajaj’s scientific expertise signals a strong leadership foundation as the startup looks to advance in the competitive AI landscape.
A team of AI veterans
The company reportedly employs nearly 100 staff, including former talent from major AI research organisations such as OpenAI, DeepMind, and Meta. Project Prometheus is expected to leverage this pool of expertise to accelerate research and development in AI-driven manufacturing solutions.
For Bezos, this marks his first formal operational position since stepping down as Amazon’s CEO in 2021. In the years since, he has focused mainly on his aerospace venture Blue Origin, which recently achieved the first successful landing of its New Glenn booster.
The path ahead
While Project Prometheus has yet to announce specific products or services, industry observers are closely watching its developments. The startup’s combination of deep funding, a seasoned executive team, and high-profile backers positions it as a potential major player in the AI and manufacturing space.
With Bezos now stepping into an executive role, the venture could accelerate its growth trajectory and attract further attention from both investors and the broader technology community.
