Bezos: AI Will Cut Hours, Not Jobs, as Prometheus Raises $12B

Jeff Bezos argued artificial intelligence will shorten work hours rather than eliminate jobs in the U.S. economy. The comment came as his startup Prometheus closed a $12 billion Series B that values the company at $41 billion.

Bezos predicted AI would lift productivity and living standards and could make workers harder to find. He suggested public concern stems from commentators emphasizing worst-case outcomes. He added that household labor patterns could change, noting: “A lot of people who, for example, today have two-earner households, perhaps one of those earners will choose not to be in the job market, so they’ll become a one-earner household. Maybe some people who are working overtime will stop working overtime, because they don’t want to work overtime.”

Prometheus launched in November with $6.2 billion in initial backing. The Series B included participation from banks, asset managers and venture investors and involved a financial contribution from Bezos. The round raises the startup’s valuation to about four times its launch figure.

The company develops AI systems for engineering and manufacturing physical products. Prometheus is led by Bezos and co-CEO Vik Bajaj and employs roughly 150 people. The startup plans to use the new capital to expand teams and develop technology for producing and scaling physical products.

Public opinion on AI remains mixed. A recent national survey found about half of U.S. adults feel more concerned than excited about AI in daily life. Some firms have cited AI as a factor in staffing changes while others expect productivity gains.