Jeff Bezos' AI venture, Project Prometheus, has quietly made its first major acquisition since its inception. The startup, backed by a whopping $6.2 billion in funding from none other than Bezos himself, has taken over General Agents, an agentic AI firm founded by Vik Bajaj and Sherjil Ozair.
Bajaj, who previously co-founded Alphabet's health sciences company Verily, had been working closely with Bezos on Project Prometheus, a venture aimed at developing AI systems that can support the manufacturing of computers, cars, and even spacecraft. The project has already brought on over 100 employees, including several former General Agents colleagues.
The acquisition of General Agents has sent shockwaves through the tech industry, particularly in the realm of computer agents, which are AI tools capable of automating daily tasks across different apps. General Agents' flagship product, Ace, is a real-time computer pilot that can take over a computer and carry out actions based on user prompts.
While details about Project Prometheus remain limited, sources suggest that Bezos and Bajaj will serve as co-CEOs of the venture. The dinner hosted by Bajaj in June, which included several high-profile guests, including former Nvidia researcher Kamyar Azizzadenesheli, has been seen as a key moment in shaping the project's direction.
However, not everyone is pleased with the acquisition. Harsha Abegunasekara, CEO of Donely, a rival firm to General Agents, has expressed concerns that Bezos' involvement could give his company an unfair edge in the market. "There is something important there for Prometheus to get the entire company," Abegunasekara says. "What General Agents really cracked early on is speed—Ace runs on your computer at light speed."
As Project Prometheus continues to grow and expand its reach, one thing is clear: Jeff Bezos' AI venture is set to shake up the tech industry in a big way.
Bajaj, who previously co-founded Alphabet's health sciences company Verily, had been working closely with Bezos on Project Prometheus, a venture aimed at developing AI systems that can support the manufacturing of computers, cars, and even spacecraft. The project has already brought on over 100 employees, including several former General Agents colleagues.
The acquisition of General Agents has sent shockwaves through the tech industry, particularly in the realm of computer agents, which are AI tools capable of automating daily tasks across different apps. General Agents' flagship product, Ace, is a real-time computer pilot that can take over a computer and carry out actions based on user prompts.
While details about Project Prometheus remain limited, sources suggest that Bezos and Bajaj will serve as co-CEOs of the venture. The dinner hosted by Bajaj in June, which included several high-profile guests, including former Nvidia researcher Kamyar Azizzadenesheli, has been seen as a key moment in shaping the project's direction.
However, not everyone is pleased with the acquisition. Harsha Abegunasekara, CEO of Donely, a rival firm to General Agents, has expressed concerns that Bezos' involvement could give his company an unfair edge in the market. "There is something important there for Prometheus to get the entire company," Abegunasekara says. "What General Agents really cracked early on is speed—Ace runs on your computer at light speed."
As Project Prometheus continues to grow and expand its reach, one thing is clear: Jeff Bezos' AI venture is set to shake up the tech industry in a big way.