Jeff Bezos Predicts AI Will Create Labor Shortage, Debuts Prometheus Startup
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos expressed his belief that artificial intelligence will lead to a labor shortage, rather than widespread unemployment. Speaking at the VivaTech conference in Paris, Bezos outlined a vision where AI lowers existing barriers, increasing the demand for human work. His comments contrast with concerns from some industry figures and public polls regarding AI's potential impact on jobs, even as tech layoffs continue. Bezos also discussed his AI startup, Prometheus, co-founded in November 2025. The company, valued at approximately $41 billion after raising $12 billion, focuses on re-engineering the physical world through advanced AI design tools.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos suggested that artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to create a labor shortage, rather than rendering large segments of the workforce unemployed. Speaking on Wednesday at VivaTech, a technology conference in Paris, Bezos stated his disagreement with views that AI would make humans redundant. He argued that humans have "endless" pursuits and that AI will remove barriers, subsequently increasing the demand for human effort.
This perspective has been previously articulated by Bezos, who, in a May interview, used a "bulldozer vs. shovel" metaphor to explain how AI could uplift workers and predicted deflation stemming from productivity gains. He also dismissed job displacement fears for skilled professionals like radiologists and software engineers, referring to the outcome as "labor scarcity."
Bezos's outlook stands in contrast to various concerns, including a Reuters/Ipsos poll indicating that half of U.S. respondents fear AI could cause job losses in their households. A Federal Reserve governor warned in February of a "jobless boom," and some AI company leaders, such as Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, have previously predicted "unusually painful" disruption in white-collar work, though some of these predictions have since been walked back.
The tech industry has experienced significant layoffs, with over 115,000 job cuts by May 2026, nearing the total for all of 2025. Companies like Meta, Amazon, and Snap have cited AI as a factor in these reductions. Goldman Sachs estimates AI is eliminating about 16,000 U.S. jobs monthly, disproportionately affecting entry-level and Gen Z workers.
During his VivaTech appearance, Bezos also highlighted Prometheus, an AI startup he co-founded in November 2025 with former Google X scientist Vik Bajaj. The company has raised $12 billion, reaching a valuation of approximately $41 billion. Prometheus operates at the intersection of AI and the "physical economy," targeting fields such as aerospace, automotive, and drug development. Bezos described the company's aim as building an "artificial general engineer"—a next-generation design tool capable of modeling, predicting, and optimizing the creation of physical objects, akin to a modern CAD system.
According to Fortune, these comments were made by Jeff Bezos.
