Former Amazon chief Jeff Bezos is returning to an active leadership role as he takes the helm of a newly formed AI startup, Project Prometheus. He will serve as co-chief executive officer, marking his first major operational post since stepping down as Amazon’s CEO in 2021, according to a report by The New York Times.
Project Prometheus has reportedly raised about $6.2 billion in early funding, with Bezos contributing to the investment.
The startup is said to be building AI technologies aimed at manufacturing, engineering, and other physical-systems applications, spanning everything from computing and automotive work to aerospace.
Project Prometheus is one of several companies concentrating on utilising AI for tangible applications, such as robotics, drug design, and scientific discovery.
Bezos will co‐lead the venture alongside Vik Bajaj, a physicist and chemist previously affiliated with Google X and other advanced research labs.
Last year, Bezos invested in Physical Intelligence, an AI robotics startup. The company’s mission is to bring general-purpose AI into the physical world.
Although many operational details remain undisclosed, including headquarters location and exact launch date, the startup is reported to have already hired roughly 100 employees drawn from leading AI organisations such as OpenAI, DeepMind and Meta Platforms.
By taking on this new role, Bezos is entering a crowded AI market where big companies and young startups are competing to lead in physical-AI, robotics, and large-scale automation. The move also raises questions about how his well-known Amazon leadership style will fit into the faster, more flexible world of AI.
The huge early funding makes Project Prometheus one of the best-backed AI startups to date, even as the industry faces pressure over proving real-world results, building sustainable business models, and attracting top talent.
Whether Bezos’s return to hands-on leadership will lead to major breakthroughs is still uncertain, but it highlights how veteran tech leaders are re-joining the race to shape the next era of AI.
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