Jeff Bezos called his new AI startup Project Prometheus, and the classicists entered the chat – 16 legendary responses
The Ancient Greeks did not mess around when it came to their tales of the Gods punishing presumptuous mortals and lesser Gods, and the story of Prometheus is a case in point.
The daring Titan stole fire from Mount Olympus to give to the humans he had created, only to be cursed by Zeus to be tortured for eternity by being chained to a rock and attacked by eagles which pecked at his liver, day in, day out. He was eventually freed from his torment by the hero Heracles, after hundreds of years.
It was, therefore, an interesting choice by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, or someone in his team, to name his new AI startup Project Prometheus.
Jeff Bezos is throwing his money and time into an A.I. start-up that he will help manage as its co-CEO: Project Prometheus, which is focusing on A.I. for the engineering and manufacturing of computers, automobiles and spacecraft.
— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) November 17, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Jeff Bezos will be co-CEO of AI startup Project Prometheus
— The Verge (@theverge.com) November 17, 2025 at 10:20 AM
People noticed another literary Prometheus reference.
Literally the subtitle to Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.”
— Dr. Jeremy Swist (@metalclassicist.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Ah, yes – Frankenstein. A story which famously ends spectacularly well for all concerned.
It’s a pity Jeff Bezos doesn’t have an easily accessible source of books he could reference to check these things.
Bluesky users stopped facepalming long enough to share their thoughts on the matter.
1.
The first rule of plutocrat AI competitions is 1. name your new company with a classical allusion or Tolkien reference. I see Bezos went with the former. How… great.
— Sarah E. Bond (@sarahebond.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 1:14 PM
2.
jeff bezos getting his liver ate for eternity: "aw shit if only my bookstore had sold something about this situation"
— aloof wife (@jonchristian.net) November 17, 2025 at 5:08 PM
3.
AmazonAI- we de-liver for you.
— Benny Zelkowicz (@leetlepeegveeg.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 1:20 PM
4.
So, sort of a… Modern Prometheus?
— Bill Corbett (@billcorbett.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 4:34 PM
5.
The reason Greek myths are so enduring and have remained popular for so long is because everything in them always works out and goes exactly to plan, and they are in no way examples of cautionary tales…
— Rob H. (@firstreflect.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 8:05 PM
6.
Is it still called a "startup" when a billionaire just starts a new company and installs himself as the leader?
— snarkhive.bsky.social (@snarkhive.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 11:29 AM
7.
May his be the largest bubble that bursts.
— Ashley Lynch ✂️️ (@ashleylynch.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 5:52 PM
8.
very excited to announce my new startup "Project Liver-Hungry Eagles"
— e.w. niedermeyer (@niedermeyer.online) November 17, 2025 at 8:50 PM
9.
Is he naming it after the mythical Prometheus or the movie Prometheus? Because either way things didn’t end well
— Burgess Megadeth (@kidsilverhair.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 12:26 PM
10.
The fate suffered by Prometheus would be a suitable end for Jeff Bezos and his fellow tech bros. fortune.com/2025/11/17/j…
— Scott Horton (@robertscotthorton.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 8:29 PM
11.
So he’s signed up to be chained to a rock and have his liver picked at forever? I cannot wait!
— Debbie Lefkowitz (@foglandia.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 1:39 PM
12.
Does this venture end with Bezos getting tortured for eternity?
— Adam Rothman enjoys a good sandwich (@adamrothman.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 1:10 PM
13.
These guys never ever read to the end.
— Helen Kennedy (@helenkennedy.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 2:20 PM
14.
These people and their ridiculous name choices.
Either they never read anything or they have absolutely missed the plot of all of it. Insanity I guess. I need to stop trying to understand them.— dramaQkarri (@karriw.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 1:20 PM
15.
has the dude who has sold millions of books never read one? All signs point to yes.
— mikeychev.bsky.social (@mikeychev.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 6:01 PM
16.
I hope A.I. crashes and puts all these greedy billionaires on the streets as homeless bums in the next two years. They should be putting their money to good use like feeding the hungry, medical science, and building housing for homeless. These people are so damn greedy and Trump ass kissers .
A few people made this observation.
I guess if AI can run Amazon, then we don’t need Bezos.
— Thomas Brackett “Czar” Reed (@czarreed.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Wait – we need Bezos?
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Source New York Times Image Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Commons
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