A $100 billion AI manufacturing fund is already being pitched behind closed doors, and Dubai investment circles are paying close attention.
Jeff Bezos has travelled to the Middle East to present the strategy directly to sovereign wealth funds, placing Gulf capital at the centre of a plan focused on automating manufacturing at scale. This shift is now part of a wider trend shaping global capital flows and the next phase of artificial intelligence investment.
Bezos Is Going After Manufacturing With AI
The reported fund is tied to Project Prometheus, an AI startup Bezos co-founded in 2025. The company focuses on applying artificial intelligence to real-world industries including computers, automobiles, and spacecraft.
Project Prometheus has already secured $6.2 billion and is currently seeking up to $6 billion more. The broader plan behind the $100 billion fund involves acquiring manufacturing companies and introducing AI-driven processes designed to improve output and efficiency.
The scale of the proposal places it alongside some of the largest technology investment vehicles ever assembled, with a structure that leans heavily on Middle East capital.
Gulf Capital Is Driving the Biggest AI Conversations
Bezos' outreach to the region aligns with a wider pattern. American technology leaders are actively engaging Gulf investors as funding requirements continue to expand.
Sam Altman has travelled to the UAE for discussions tied to OpenAI's fundraising efforts. Abu Dhabi's MGX has emerged as a key force in artificial intelligence investment, with ambitions tied to assets exceeding $100 billion and plans to deploy up to $10 billion annually.
Recent reports indicate OpenAI is close to securing around $10 billion in fresh funding, with MGX among the investors. These developments are reshaping how regional investment strategies are evolving around AI.
xAI and Anthropic Confirm the Direction
The same trend is visible across other major AI companies.
Elon Musk's xAI has secured funding from Gulf investors, including Saudi Arabia's HUMAIN, Qatar's QIA, and Kingdom Holding, backed by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. HUMAIN committed $3 billion to xAI as part of the company's broader funding round.
Anthropic has also brought in Gulf capital. The Qatar Investment Authority participated in its $13 billion Series F round, with continued involvement in later funding rounds.
These deals highlight how sovereign wealth funds in the region are taking a direct role in scaling advanced AI companies tied to real-world industries.
Bezos' reported $100 billion AI manufacturing fund remains in early discussions, but the direction is already clear. The Middle East now sits at the centre of the most consequential AI funding conversations in the world.
With Project Prometheus at the core of the strategy and multiple US technology leaders engaging Gulf investors, Dubai and the broader region are closely tied to how this next phase of artificial intelligence develops.
