Jeff Bezos' New AI Vision: Project Prometheus W...

Publication Date: 18.11.2025

Overview

Author: Lisa Aeschlimann (NZZ)
Source: https://www.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/gelingt-ihm-nach-amazon-die-zweite-revolution-jeff-bezos-gruendet-ein-ki-startup-mit-sechs-milliarden-dollar-startkapital-ld.1912316
Date: 18.11.2025
Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

Article Summary

What's it about? Jeff Bezos is secretly founding an AI startup called Project Prometheus and aims to trigger a revolution in industrial AI. The topic is currently important because the AI industry is evolving from the chatbot hype toward practical, industrial applications.

Key Facts:

Starting capital: $6.2 billion - one of the world's best-funded startups
Bezos takes on an operational role as Co-CEO for the first time since 2021
Co-CEO Vik Bajaj: Physicist/chemist with experience at Google X and Verily
Already nearly 100 employees recruited from top firms like OpenAI, DeepMind and Meta
Focus on industrial AI instead of chatbots: automotive, chip, aerospace and space industries
Founding date and headquarters: [⚠️ Still to be verified - not known]
Bezos' net worth: $200 billion

Affected Groups: AI professionals, traditional industries (automotive, manufacturing, aerospace), competing tech giants, workers in production sectors

Opportunities & Risks:

Opportunities: Revolutionary improvements in manufacturing and production efficiency
Risks: Further concentration of power among tech billionaires, potential jobs in traditional industries at risk

Recommendations: Readers should closely monitor the development of industrial AI, as it will have direct impact on jobs and economic structures.

Future Outlook

Short-term (1 year): Project Prometheus will present first concrete products and industry partnerships. Further massive talent recruitment from established AI companies.

Medium-term (5 years): Possible market leadership in industrial AI, integration with Bezos' other companies (Blue Origin), first revolutionary applications in manufacturing and aerospace becoming visible.

Long-term (10-20 years): If successful, Project Prometheus could fundamentally change how physical goods are produced - similar to how Amazon revolutionized commerce.

Fact Check

The New York Times is cited as the main source for the revelation. The information about Bezos' net worth ($200 billion) and Amazon's employee count (650,000) corresponds to current estimates.

[⚠️ Still to be verified]: Exact founding time, headquarters and details about Project Prometheus' financing structure remain unclear.

Additional Sources

Due to the timeliness and secrecy of the project, additional independent sources are limited. Recommended research at:

Financial Times and Wall Street Journal for further tech industry assessments
MIT Technology Review for technical AI evaluations
SEC filings for potential financing details

Source List

Original Source: Gelingt ihm nach Amazon die zweite Revolution? Jeff Bezos gründet ein KI-Startup, NZZ, https://www.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/gelingt-ihm-nach-amazon-die-zweite-revolution-jeff-bezos-gruendet-ein-ki-startup-mit-sechs-milliarden-dollar-startkapital-ld.1912316
Additional Sources:
1. New York Times (mentioned as primary source in article) - [⚠️ Direct link not available]
2. Amazon Investor Relations for company data
3. Blue Origin Website for Bezos' space activities
Facts checked: on 18.11.2025

Brief Conclusion

Jeff Bezos strategically positions himself with Project Prometheus in the growing industrial AI market and avoids the overcrowded chatbot space. With $6.2 billion in starting capital and top talent, he aims to trigger a second technological revolution. The topic is relevant now because AI is increasingly moving from software applications into physical production. Critical to monitor: Further concentration of power among few tech billionaires and potential impact on traditional industrial jobs.

Three Key Questions

What risks to economic freedom arise from the further concentration of power among tech billionaires like Bezos in critical industrial sectors?
Where is more social responsibility needed when AI systems increasingly influence physical production processes and thus jobs?
How can transparency and democratic control be ensured when private companies with enormous resources determine industrial standards and manufacturing processes?