Jeff Bezos launches $6.2 billion secretive AI startup Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos is spearheading a new AI project called Project Prometheus, focused on his core interests in engineering and space. The New York Times reports that the company has yet to be officially unveiled, but has already received $6.2 billion in funding. Bezos himself, who will become co-CEO, will invest a portion of the money.

Project Prometheus will focus on creating AI systems that derive knowledge from the real physical world, rather than being limited to processing digital information as chatbots do. It is expected to focus on how artificial intelligence can support engineering and manufacturing processes in areas such as transportation and space technology. Bezos has been developing the space company Blue Origin for more than two decades, and its New Glenn rocket recently made a successful second flight.

And Bezos has been developing the space company Blue Origin for more than two decades.

The second co-founder and co-CEO is Vic Bajaj — a physicist and chemist who previously worked at Google X on Wing and future Waymo projects. In 2018, he co-founded Foresite Labs, which helps startups in AI and data analytics. For now, Bajaj is still listed as the head of Foresite Labs on the company’s website and LinkedIn, which also lists his new positions at Project Prometheus. Judging by his profile, work at the new startup began this month, and the companies plan to operate out of San Francisco, London and Zurich.

On its minimalist LinkedIn page, Project Prometheus describes itself with the phrase «AI for the physical economy». It also states that it is a technology and Internet company with 51 to 200 employees. According to The New York Times, the startup has already hired nearly 100 professionals, including people from OpenAI and DeepMind.