Jeff Bezos Returns to Lead New AI Startup, Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos Returns to Operational Role with New AI Venture

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, is reportedly re-engaging directly in a company’s operations. He is providing financial support to a newly established AI startup, Project Prometheus, which has secured $6.2 billion in funding.

Leadership and Background

Bezos will assume the role of co-chief executive at Project Prometheus, as reported by The New York Times, based on information from sources with knowledge of the initiative.

He will be sharing leadership responsibilities with Vik Bajaj, a veteran of Google’s life sciences sector. Bajaj previously held a leadership position and co-founded Google’s life sciences division.

Furthermore, Bajaj was instrumental in the creation of Verily, a biotechnology company under the Alphabet umbrella. He also co-founded Foresite Labs, an AI-driven affiliate of Foresite Capital.

It is noted that Bajaj recently departed from Foresite Capital to dedicate his efforts to launching Project Prometheus.

Return to Direct Involvement

This venture marks Bezos’s return to a hands-on operational role for the first time since relinquishing his duties at Amazon in 2021.

Focus and Objectives

Project Prometheus intends to develop AI solutions tailored for engineering and manufacturing applications. These will span diverse industries, including computing, aerospace, and the automotive sector.

The startup’s core focus, as outlined on its LinkedIn profile, is “AI for the physical economy.”

Its work is anticipated to mirror that of Periodic Labs, a company specializing in accelerating scientific discovery through AI model training via physical world simulations.

Team and Current Status

The company has rapidly assembled a team of nearly 100 professionals. This includes researchers originating from prominent AI organizations such as Meta, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind.

Requests for comment sent to Amazon and Vik Bajaj have not yet received a response.