Jeff Bezos said that he has embraced being a CEO again at AI startup Prometheus, describing the role as “Type 2 fun,” the kind you appreciate only after the climb is over.
The 62-year-old billionaire, speaking on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” this week, said running Prometheus alongside co-CEO Vik Bajaj is a grind he welcomes. “It is a grind, but it’s a good grind,” he said. Bezos started as an investor in late 2024 before going all in. “I couldn’t sit on the sidelines,” he told host David Faber.
The re-entry marks his first formal operational role since stepping down as Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) CEO in 2021. He still advises Amazon and space technology company Blue Origin, but says AI now dominates his calendar across all three. “The common thread in my time spent is mostly AI,” he said.
Back In the Driver’s Seat
During the interview, co-CEOs Bezos and Bajaj, an adjunct professor of radiology at Stanford University School of Medicine and a seasoned life sciences executive, said they do not divide responsibilities. Instead, both remain involved in virtually every decision and communicate several times a day. “We’re talking to each other multiple times a day … We’re both involved in all of the decisions really,” Bezos said. “We’re tight at the hip.”
Prometheus, a developer of AI models designed for physical tasks such as engineering and product development, launched with $6.2 billion in funding. On Thursday, the company announced a new $12 billion funding round, bringing its valuation to $41 billion.
While Others Step Aside, Bezos Steps Up
While several high-profile CEOs have stepped down citing AI’s pace, Bezos is moving in the opposite direction. Former Walmart (NYSE:WMT) CEO Doug McMillon stepped down in December 2024, saying a younger leader was better suited to drive the company’s AI transition. Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE) CEO Shantanu Narayen is also set to exit after a successor is named, as the software giant navigates a shift toward AI-native creative tools. Bezos, for his part, sees many miles still ahead.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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