Prometheus, the physical AI startup co-founded by Jeff Bezosand Vik Bajaj, has secured a massive $12 billion funding round at a $41 billion valuation, signaling one of the most aggressive bets yet on artificial intelligence for the physical world.
The funding round drew heavyweight investors including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and BlackRock, strengthening confidence in what the company calls an “artificial general engineer.
” The system aims to automate complex engineering tasks across industries such as aerospace, energy systems, and pharmaceutical design.
The startup previously raised $6.2 billion in its initial round, according to CNBC. This latest capital injection pushes Prometheus into the upper tier of global AI startups, both in valuation and ambition.
Prometheus focuses on building AI systems that design and optimize physical products.
Instead of assisting engineers, the platform aims to replace large portions of engineering workflows entirely. That shift could reshape how jet engines, industrial machines, and drug compounds are developed.
Jeff Bezos described a future shaped by higher productivity rather than widespread job loss.
He argued that AI-driven efficiency could increase living standards and reduce work pressure across households. He suggested that some families could move from dual incomes to single incomes as productivity rises.
However, his outlook contrasts with broader concerns in the tech industry. Many AI leaders warn about job displacement. Prometheus instead frames automation as a structural upgrade to global labor efficiency.
The company currently operates with about 150 employees across San Francisco, London, and Zurich. It has not disclosed detailed technical breakthroughs, but it confirmed that much of the new funding will support high-performance computing infrastructure.
Bezos, who also leads Amazon as executive chairman, brings direct experience with large-scale automation. Amazon has expanded its use of robotics and AI systems across its logistics network while reducing tens of thousands of roles in recent restructuring waves.
The $41 billion valuation places Prometheus among the most valuable AI startups globally. It also highlights the accelerating investor shift toward physical AI, a sector that combines software intelligence with real-world engineering systems.
Investors argue that physical AI offers stronger competitive advantages than traditional software.
Physical infrastructure, manufacturing systems, and industrial design create higher barriers to entry, making the sector more defensible over time.
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