Jeff Bezos' unprecedented plan

Jeff Bezos is raising $100 billion to invest in AI. Photo: Bloomberg .

Jeff Bezos traveled to the Middle East to discuss with sovereign wealth funds in the region, before heading to Singapore to continue fundraising. The Amazon founder is meeting with some of the world's largest asset managers. According to investor documents, the fund is described as a "manufacturing transformation tool" and is large enough to compete with SoftBank's $100 billion Vision Fund, which focuses on the technology sector.

The technology platform for this fund comes from Project Prometheus, the AI company where Bezos serves as co-CEO. This marks his first official leadership position at a technology company since stepping down as Amazon CEO in July 2021.

Prometheus builds AI systems capable of simulating how the physical world operates. This technology can calculate airflow around an aircraft wing or predict where a metal component will crack under pressure. According to investor documents, the company plans to sell its software tools for simulation and engineering design.

Bezos serves as co-CEO alongside Vik Bajaj, a Stanford School of Medicine professor and former co-founder of Google's life sciences division. Prometheus has recruited personnel from OpenAI and Google DeepMind, successfully raising $6.2 billion in investment capital last year. David Limp, CEO of Blue Origin, has just been appointed to the board of directors.

The overall plan is to use Prometheus' technology to increase the efficiency and profitability of the businesses the fund acquires. According to sources close to the matter, JPMorgan Chase is also in preliminary talks to support the project through its newly established Security and Resilience Initiative. The bank established a $10 billion fund for that initiative in December 2025 and hired Todd Combs, a former investment manager at Berkshire Hathaway, to lead it.

Bezos isn't the only one from the older generation of Silicon Valley leaders betting on industrial AI. Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick announced the Atoms project with the ambition of transforming manufacturing using AI. Elon Musk is also pushing forward with plans for humanoid robots at Tesla.

Jeff Bezos is improving Amazon's performance through robotics and AI. Photo: Bloomberg .

The wave of AI automation in manufacturing is accelerating, though it is still in its early stages. Amazon, one of America's largest employers, is nearing the point where the number of robots equals the number of employees. Many companies have cited AI in layoffs over the past year, although some economists argue that overhiring during the pandemic also played a role.

Project Prometheus is expanding rapidly. The company leased 30,000 square feet (9,144 m2) of office space in the San Francisco financial district last year and is looking for new space that is at least twice that size.

"Recreating the physical world is a huge challenge. However, the pace of innovation in AI today is truly not to be underestimated," said Robert Nelsen, co-founder of ARCH Venture Partners and board member of Prometheus.