Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, has reentered corporate leadership as co-CEO of a new artificial intelligence (AI) startup named Project Prometheus, alongside former Google X scientist Vik Bajaj. The company is reportedly focusing on applying AI to aerospace, automotive engineering, and manufacturing sectors.
According to The New York Times, Project Prometheus aims to develop AI technologies for physical tasks and is expected to collaborate closely with Bezos's aerospace company, Blue Origin. The startup's name draws from the Greek mythological figure Prometheus, symbolizing both innovation and caution in technological advancement, as noted by Fortune amid ongoing debates about AI ethics and safety.
Vik Bajaj, who took on the co-founder and co-CEO role in November, brings experience from his work at Google X and leadership roles in life sciences and AI firms, including Verily and Foresite Labs. The startup has reportedly raised US$6.2 billion in funding, with Bezos as a significant investor, exceeding the capital raised by comparable AI ventures such as Thinking Machines Lab, Safe Superintelligence, and Periodic Labs, which have secured between US$300 million and US$3 billion.
Project Prometheus currently operates with a team of roughly 100 members, primarily researchers from top AI organizations including OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Meta Platforms Inc. Bezos's return to a CEO role since stepping down from Amazon in 2021 has drawn attention to how his well-known "two-pizza" team philosophy and emphasis on rapid decision-making might adapt to the demands of a smaller, research-driven AI company.
Bloomberg analysis suggests that the startup's need for efficiency and swift execution may align with Bezos's management style, which encourages maintaining close engagement with senior managers to understand operational details and strategic objectives. The success of Project Prometheus could serve as a measure of whether Bezos's leadership principles remain effective in the evolving AI industry landscape.
Article edited by Jack Wu
