Amazon Founder Launches Project Prometheus Alongside Microsoft Partnership

The artificial intelligence sector is buzzing with significant developments, from new ventures by tech titans to strategic partnerships and market fluctuations. Jeff Bezos, the former Amazon chief, has re-entered an operational role as co-chief executive of a new AI startup called Project Prometheus. This venture, co-led by Vik Bajaj, a former Google X scientist with a PhD from MIT, has already secured an impressive $6.2 billion in funding, partly from Bezos himself. Project Prometheus aims to develop 'AI for the physical economy,' focusing on engineering and manufacturing across fields like computers, aerospace, and automobiles, and plans to build 'world models' that learn from the physical world. The company has hired approximately 100 researchers from leading AI firms, including OpenAI and Google. This move quickly drew public criticism from Elon Musk, who labeled Bezos a 'copycat' on X, posting 'Haha no way' alongside a 'copy' with a cat emoji, highlighting their ongoing rivalry. Bezos, for his part, believes AI growth, while potentially an 'industrial bubble,' will bring 'gigantic benefits' to society. In other major collaborations, Microsoft, Anthropic, and NVIDIA have formed a new partnership. This agreement grants Microsoft Foundry customers access to Anthropic's Claude models, which will also be available on Microsoft's Copilot platform. Anthropic will leverage Microsoft's Azure cloud infrastructure for its data centers, with NVIDIA providing support for Anthropic's future expansion. This alliance is particularly noteworthy given Microsoft's existing stake in OpenAI, a direct competitor to Anthropic. Meanwhile, Google DeepMind has rolled out WeatherNext 2, an advanced AI system utilizing a Functional Generative Network (FGN) architecture to deliver faster and more accurate 15-day global weather forecasts. This system now powers forecasts across Google Search, Gemini, Pixel Weather, and Google Maps Platform. On the market front, US and global stock markets are experiencing a pullback, driven by concerns over potentially overvalued AI stocks, especially Nvidia, and uncertainty surrounding a Federal Reserve rate cut in December. Nvidia's shares dropped 2.5% recently, and the S&P 500 saw its worst losing streak in months. Despite these jitters, Dell Technologies and NVIDIA announced updates to their joint AI platform, the Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA, at the SC25 event, enhancing storage capabilities and supporting new Dell PowerEdge systems with NVIDIA Blackwell and Hopper GPUs. Internationally, experts at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 emphasized India's need to shift focus from predominantly AI software development to hardware and component manufacturing. Kai-Fu Lee, Chairman of Sinovation Ventures, also shared his view that US companies will monetize their AI services sooner than their Chinese counterparts. Beyond these industry giants, AI is finding diverse applications: the US Army is using an AI and machine learning model to train Civil Affairs soldiers, conducting a company-level certification exercise without human evaluators for the first time. Security teams are also seeking unified, AI-native risk platforms to connect security exposures with business impact. Even in the food industry, Chipotle's President and CTO Curt Garner dramatically increased digital sales from 5% to over 35% of total revenue, reaching nearly $4 billion by 2024, by building a robust digital ordering and rewards program, demonstrating the broad impact of technological integration.

Key Takeaways

  • Jeff Bezos launched Project Prometheus, a new AI startup, as co-CEO with Vik Bajaj, securing $6.2 billion in funding.
  • Project Prometheus focuses on 'AI for the physical economy,' aiming to apply AI to engineering and manufacturing in sectors like aerospace, automobiles, and computers, and to build 'world models.'
  • Elon Musk publicly called Jeff Bezos a 'copycat' on X following the announcement of Project Prometheus, highlighting their ongoing rivalry.
  • Microsoft, Anthropic, and NVIDIA formed a new partnership, providing Microsoft Foundry customers access to Anthropic's Claude models and leveraging Microsoft Azure for Anthropic's data centers.
  • Google DeepMind introduced WeatherNext 2, an advanced AI system that delivers faster and more accurate 15-day global weather forecasts across Google platforms.
  • The US stock market is experiencing a significant pullback due to concerns about overvalued AI stocks, particularly Nvidia, and doubts about a Federal Reserve rate cut.
  • Dell Technologies and NVIDIA enhanced their Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA platform, introducing improved storage capabilities and support for new Dell PowerEdge systems with Blackwell and Hopper GPUs.
  • Experts at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 stressed India's need to increase its focus on AI hardware and component manufacturing, moving beyond its current software-centric approach.
  • The US Army is utilizing an AI and machine learning model for the first time to conduct company-level certification exercises for Civil Affairs soldiers, replacing human evaluators.
  • Chipotle's President and CTO Curt Garner boosted the company's digital sales from 5% to over 35% of total revenue, reaching nearly $4 billion by 2024, through strategic digital initiatives.

Jeff Bezos launches AI startup Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos, former Amazon chief and current Blue Origin CEO, is reportedly starting a new AI company called Project Prometheus. He will serve as its co-chief executive, according to a New York Times report on November 18, 2025. NPR tech reporter Bobby Allyn discussed Bezos's new project with NBC News.

Elon Musk calls Jeff Bezos a copycat over new AI venture

Elon Musk publicly criticized Jeff Bezos for launching his new AI platform, Project Prometheus, calling him a 'copycat' on X. Musk posted 'Haha no way' and a 'copy' with a cat emoji. This marks Bezos's first big operational role since leaving Amazon four years ago. Project Prometheus has already raised $6.2 billion, partly from Bezos, and hired about 100 researchers from top AI firms. Bezos will co-lead the company as CEO with Vik Bajaj, a former Google X scientist.

Elon Musk labels Jeff Bezos a copycat for new AI firm

Elon Musk called Jeff Bezos a 'copycat' after Bezos started his new AI company, Project Prometheus. Musk posted 'Haha no way' and a 'copy' with a cat emoji on X. The two billionaires have long been rivals in areas like space and now artificial intelligence. Project Prometheus aims to develop 'AI for the physical economy,' focusing on engineering and manufacturing in fields such as computers, aerospace, and automobiles.

Jeff Bezos leads new AI startup Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos is co-CEO of Project Prometheus, a new AI startup focused on applying AI to physical tasks like robotics and scientific discovery. The company has raised $6.2 billion, partly from Bezos, and hired 100 researchers from top AI labs. This is Bezos's first operational role since leaving Amazon in 2021. Project Prometheus aims to build 'world models' that learn from the physical world, moving beyond traditional large language models. Vik Bajaj, a former Google researcher, co-leads the venture with Bezos.

Jeff Bezos launches AI firm for physical world tasks

Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos is returning to an operational role as co-CEO of Project Prometheus, a new AI startup. The company has secured $6.2 billion in funding and hired about 100 experts from leading AI firms. Bezos will share the CEO role with Vik Bajaj, a physicist-chemist with experience at Google X. Project Prometheus aims to build AI that interacts with the physical world, helping engineers and manufacturers in fields like computers, aerospace, and automobiles. This technology could also support Bezos's space company, Blue Origin.

Meet Vik Bajaj co-CEO of Jeff Bezos AI startup

Vikram 'Vik' Bajaj is the co-chief executive of Project Prometheus, a new AI startup he leads with Jeff Bezos. The company has over $6 billion in funding and aims to create AI systems for the physical economy, including manufacturing. Bajaj is a scientist, physicist, and chemist with a strong background in academia and biotechnology. He previously held leadership roles at Verily, Google X, GRAIL, and Foresite Labs. Bajaj earned his PhD from MIT and worked closely with Google co-founder Sergey Brin.

Elon Musk calls Jeff Bezos a copycat for AI venture

Elon Musk publicly called Jeff Bezos a 'copycat' on X after Bezos backed the new $6.2 billion AI startup, Project Prometheus. Musk posted 'Haha no way' followed by 'copy' and a cat emoji. This is not the first time Musk has accused Bezos of copying his business ventures. Project Prometheus, co-led by Bezos and Vik Bajaj, will focus on applying AI to engineering and manufacturing in sectors like computing, automotive, and aerospace. The startup has secured significant funding, including an investment from Bezos himself.

Jeff Bezos invests $6.2 billion in new AI startup

Jeff Bezos is investing $6.2 billion and serving as co-CEO for a new AI startup, despite ongoing discussions about an AI bubble. The company will focus on AI-powered engineering and manufacturing for computers, aerospace, and automobiles. It has already hired researchers from top firms like OpenAI and Google. Bezos believes this AI growth is an 'industrial bubble' that will ultimately benefit society. He stated that the advantages of AI will be enormous and change every industry.

Jeff Bezos launches AI startup Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos is launching a new AI startup called Project Prometheus, serving as co-CEO with Vik Bajaj. The company has secured $6.2 billion in funding and hired 100 employees from leading AI labs. Elon Musk has already called Bezos a 'copycat' for this venture. Project Prometheus will focus on AI for engineering and manufacturing in aerospace, automobiles, and computers. Bezos believes AI will bring 'gigantic benefits' to society and may support his Blue Origin space exploration goals.

Jeff Bezos builds AI manufacturing startup Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos, who stepped down as Amazon CEO in 2021, is now co-CEO of Project Prometheus, a new AI startup. The company aims to build 'AI for the physical economy,' focusing on engineering and manufacturing in fields like computers, aerospace, and automobiles. Project Prometheus has already raised $6.2 billion and hired over 100 employees from top AI and robotics firms. Bezos shares leadership with physicist Vik Bajaj, known for his work at Google's X. The startup may also enable robots to conduct scientific experiments and potentially support Bezos's space ventures.

Vikram Bajaj joins Jeff Bezos as AI startup co-CEO

Vikram 'Vik' Bajaj is the co-chief executive of Project Prometheus, a new AI startup he leads with Jeff Bezos. This marks Bezos's first operational role since leaving Amazon CEO in July 2021. The company has raised $6.2 billion, largely backed by Bezos, to develop advanced AI for engineering and manufacturing, including computers, cars, and spacecraft. Bajaj brings extensive experience, holding a PhD from MIT and having co-founded Verily and served as a director at Google X. He has a strong background in science and biotechnology.

Jeff Bezos reportedly forms AI startup Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos is reportedly forming a new AI startup called 'Project Prometheus,' according to The Information. The venture aims to create AI models capable of generating text and images, potentially competing with major players like OpenAI and Google. Bezos is said to be personally involved and plans to build the AI models from scratch. While still in early stages, this new, well-funded initiative from the Amazon founder is expected to make a significant impact in the rapidly evolving AI market.

Jeff Bezos launches AI startup Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos is launching a new AI startup named Project Prometheus, where he will serve as co-CEO. The company has already secured over $6 billion in funding. Project Prometheus plans to focus on developing technology that can speed up scientific discovery. Bezos is entering a competitive field with many other AI startups.

Markets drop amid AI stock and rate cut worries

US and global stock markets are falling due to concerns about overvalued AI stocks, especially Nvidia, and doubts about a Federal Reserve rate cut in December. The S&P 500 is experiencing its worst losing streak in months, and Nvidia's shares dropped 2.5% on Tuesday. JPMorgan's Daniel Pinto warned of a potential correction in AI stocks. Investors are also nervous ahead of delayed US economic data, including September's jobs report, which could influence the Fed's decision on interest rates.

Tech and AI stocks boost US market indexes

US stock indexes are rising, driven by strong performance in technology, chip, and AI infrastructure stocks. Alphabet saw a 5% jump after Berkshire Hathaway revealed a $4.9 billion investment. However, investors remain cautious ahead of Nvidia's earnings report and other major retail earnings this week. Positive economic news showed the November Empire manufacturing survey unexpectedly rose to an 18.7, a one-year high. The September jobs report and real earnings report are expected later this week.

Stock market drops amid AI and rate cut concerns

The US stock market is experiencing its biggest pullback in months, making investors nervous about the AI sector and potential interest rate cuts. The S&P 500 closed below its 50-day moving average for the first time since April, and the Cboe Volatility Index reached a one-month high. Investors are closely watching Nvidia's upcoming earnings report and the delayed September jobs report for clarity. While some experts see this as a 'course correction' rather than a bubble, others warn of a potential prolonged slowdown.

India needs more AI hardware manufacturing experts say

India has made great progress in artificial intelligence over the last decade, with AI now used in many areas like land, air, and sea. However, experts at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 say India mostly focuses on software. Sridhar Subramanya, CEO of Altius Technologies, stressed the need for India to focus more on hardware and component manufacturing for AI. Other leaders like Hitesh Garg from NXP Semiconductors and Kannan Babu Ramiah from L&T Technology Services agreed, highlighting the importance of reliability and quality.

India needs more AI hardware manufacturing experts say

India has made great progress in artificial intelligence over the last decade, with AI now used in many areas like land, air, and sea. However, experts at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 say India mostly focuses on software. Sridhar Subramanya, CEO of Altius Technologies, stressed the need for India to focus more on hardware and component manufacturing for AI. Other leaders like Hitesh Garg from NXP Semiconductors and Kannan Babu Ramiah from L&T Technology Services agreed, highlighting the importance of reliability and quality.

Kai-Fu Lee discusses China US AI race

Kai-Fu Lee, Chairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AI, shared his views on the AI competition between China and the US. He believes that US companies will be able to make money from their AI services before Chinese companies. Lee discussed China's AI advancements with David Ingles and Yvonne Man on 'Bloomberg: The China Show' on November 18, 2025.

Dell and NVIDIA boost AI partnership at SC25

At the SC25 event, Dell Technologies and NVIDIA announced new updates to their joint AI platform, the Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA. This partnership aims to help organizations run diverse AI workloads more easily and efficiently. Key improvements include enhanced storage capabilities with ObjectScale and PowerScale working with NVIDIA NIXL, and support for new Dell PowerEdge systems with NVIDIA Blackwell and Hopper GPUs. Dell also introduced an Automation Platform and expanded its AI PC ecosystem. These advancements provide faster deployment, stronger performance, and more choices for businesses scaling their AI initiatives.

Chipotle CTO Curt Garner transforms digital sales

Curt Garner, Chipotle's president and chief technology officer, dramatically increased the company's online sales from 5% to over 35% of total revenue. When he became CIO in 2015, Chipotle received $22.5 million in orders via fax machines, which he quickly stopped. Garner then built a strong digital business with app orders and a rewards program, growing digital sales to nearly $4 billion by 2024. His efforts earned him a spot on Forbes' 2025 CIO Next list. Chipotle's digital sales are now its highest-margin orders, with over 1,100 stores designed to prioritize online pickups.

Microsoft Anthropic NVIDIA form new AI partnership

Microsoft, Anthropic, and NVIDIA have announced a new partnership in the evolving AI landscape. Under this agreement, Microsoft Foundry customers will gain access to Anthropic's Claude models, which will also be available on Microsoft's Copilot platform. Anthropic will use Microsoft's Azure cloud infrastructure for its data centers, and NVIDIA will support Anthropic's future growth. This collaboration is notable because Microsoft also owns a stake in OpenAI, a direct competitor to Anthropic, highlighting the complex web of alliances in the AI industry.

US Army uses AI to train Civil Affairs soldiers

The US Army is using a groundbreaking artificial intelligence and machine learning model to train its Civil Affairs soldiers. Soldiers from the 91st and 96th Civil Affairs Battalions participated in the Atlas Lion tabletop exercise at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. This AI-supported simulation helps validate the Civil Affairs Company's skills in a digital training environment, preparing them for complex missions worldwide. For the first time, the Army conducted a company-level certification exercise without human evaluators, relying on AI to assess readiness.

AI platform needed for unified security risk

Security teams are overwhelmed with data and need a unified, AI-native risk platform to connect security exposures with business impact. Traditional security tools often work separately, making it hard for leaders to make quick decisions. A new AI-powered platform could continuously analyze data from various sources, showing how vulnerabilities affect financial and operational risks. This approach would create a 'living source of truth' for security leaders, improving accountability and helping them justify security spending. Companies like Balbix and SAFE Security are already combining forces to achieve this goal.

Google DeepMind launches faster AI weather forecasts

Google DeepMind has launched WeatherNext 2, an advanced AI system that provides faster and more accurate global weather forecasts. This new system, which uses a Functional Generative Network (FGN) architecture, now powers forecasts across Google Search, Gemini, Pixel Weather, and Google Maps Platform. WeatherNext 2 delivers probabilistic forecasts for 15-day global weather patterns, offering higher resolution than previous systems. It separates different types of uncertainty to create more realistic weather outcomes. The model is trained using a Continuous Ranked Probability Score and learns complex joint structures despite only using marginal supervision.

Sources

NOTE:

This news brief was generated using AI technology (including, but not limited to, Google Gemini API, Llama, Grok, and Mistral) from aggregated news articles, with minimal to no human editing/review. It is provided for informational purposes only and may contain inaccuracies or biases. This is not financial, investment, or professional advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please verify all information with the linked original articles in the Sources section below.

Jeff Bezos Elon Musk Project Prometheus AI Startups Artificial Intelligence (AI) Machine Learning AI for Physical Economy Robotics Scientific Discovery Engineering AI Manufacturing AI Aerospace AI Automotive AI Space AI AI Funding AI Market AI Competition AI Partnerships NVIDIA Microsoft Anthropic Google DeepMind Weather Forecasting AI Defense AI Security AI AI Hardware AI Infrastructure AI Stocks AI Bubble Vik Bajaj OpenAI Large Language Models World Models Dell Technologies China US AI Race

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