Jeff Bezos launches Project Prometheus with record funding for AI startup

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, is set to lead a new artificial intelligence start-up called Project Prometheus. This marks his first chief executive position since stepping down from the retail giant in 2021. According to reports, the start-up has secured 6.2 billion dollars in initial funding, one of the largest such investments in the sector to date, as confirmed by sources familiar with the matter.

Bezos will act as co-chief executive alongside Vik Bajaj, a notable figure with previous experience at Google X and in biotechnology at Verily. Project Prometheus aims to pioneer artificial intelligence innovation focused on engineering and manufacturing, with key application areas in aerospace, computing and automotive sectors. The start-up is assembling a team of almost 100 employees, drawing expertise from established leaders in the field, such as OpenAI, Meta and DeepMind.

While Project Prometheus benefits from substantial early capital, it faces a fiercely competitive market; industry giants such as OpenAI and Alphabet continue to set the pace for artificial intelligence development globally. This surge of activity has attracted significant investor interest, leading to concerns among some industry veterans about unsustainable market valuations and the possibility of a correction reminiscent of the early 2000s technology bubble.

Bezos remains optimistic regarding the investment climate, having indicated that an industrial ‘bubble’ in artificial intelligence may ultimately serve the public good. He maintains that, when the market eventually matures, the resulting technological advancements could have a profoundly positive impact on society.

Project Prometheus is yet to officially launch and has not released further financial details. However, its size and ambitions draw attention as the sector continues to experience exceptional levels of both investment and innovation.