Jeff Bezos is stepping back into an operational executive role through Project Prometheus, a heavily funded AI start-up launched with $6.2 billion in backing. The move marks his first leadership role outside Amazon since 2021 and puts him at the centre of a fast-intensifying AI race.

The company aims to build advanced AI systems designed for engineering and manufacturing, aligning with Bezos' long-standing interest in aerospace and complex physical technologies. Project Prometheus is co-led by physicist Vik Bajaj, whose background spans Google X, Verily, and Foresite Labs.

The start-up has already assembled nearly 100 researchers, many of whom were recruited from major AI labs, including OpenAI, DeepMind, and Meta.

Project Prometheus joins a crowded field of firms advancing AI beyond language models into robotics, scientific discovery, and physical experimentation. Competitors like Periodic Labs and new Big Tech spin-outs are building systems that learn from real-world processes rather than text.

With substantial capital and an experienced scientific leadership team, the company is positioning itself to compete in one of AI's most complex and expensive frontiers.