Jeff Bezos is reportedly in early discussions to raise $100 billion for a fund aimed at acquiring manufacturing companies and implementing AI-driven automation. According to the Wall Street Journal, Bezos has met with global asset managers and traveled to the Middle East and Singapore to secure backing for the “manufacturing transformation vehicle,” which targets industries including semiconductors, defense, and aerospace.

The initiative would rival the largest buyout funds worldwide and compete with SoftBank’s $100 billion Vision Fund. Bezos is leveraging Project Prometheus, an AI startup he co-founded with former Google executive Vikram Bajaj, to develop the technology that would drive efficiency and profitability across the fund’s portfolio. Project Prometheus is separately discussing raising up to $6 billion in funding and recently added David Limp, CEO of Blue Origin, to its board.

Project Prometheus has already raised $6.2 billion and focuses on AI applications for computers, automobiles, and spacecraft, aiming to streamline engineering and manufacturing processes. Analysts have warned that broad AI adoption could accelerate the loss of entry-level jobs, with Forrester estimating that 6.1 percent of U.S. jobs could be displaced by 2030.

Public concern over AI is rising. A Pew Research Center survey in September 2025 found that 50 percent of Americans were more worried than excited about AI’s impact, up from 37 percent in 2021. Only 10 percent reported being more excited than concerned, while 38 percent expressed mixed feelings.

Bezos’ plan represents a major push toward industrial automation, raising questions about the future of the workforce as AI continues to expand its role in business operations.