The confrontation between two tech billionaires has flared up again after years of mutual criticism.

Fortune commented that Jeff Bezos’s unexpected return to the CEO position for the first time since leaving Amazon in 2021 has caused a stir in the technology world. He did not return to Amazon but took on the role of co-CEO of Project Prometheus, an ambitious AI startup focused on manufacturing, engineering and space technology.

Before the news could sink in, it immediately became the subject of ridicule by Elon Musk, who has long viewed Bezos as a rival in all future technology races.

Musk’s trademark mockery

Shortly after the news of Bezos becoming co-CEO was announced, Elon Musk posted on X a cryptic line: “Haha no way… Copycat.” With just a few words, Elon Musk turned Jeff Bezos’s return into a “copycat” story, claiming that the Amazon founder was just following what Elon Musk did with xAI.

The taunt was not just a personal outburst but also strategic, reflecting the increasingly bitter rivalry between the two men in fields seen as pillars of the future: Space and AI.

Bezos, who was previously thought to be enjoying a “retired” life of yachts and parties, suddenly jumped into the AI ​​field to directly run a competing company, directly touching the empire of Musk, who founded xAI to take on the tech giants. In Musk’s eyes, Bezos’s entry into this game is just an attempt to copy the strategic vision he has outlined for a long time.

This is not the first time Musk has used the term “copycat” for Bezos. From the Starlink satellite internet project to Amazon’s purchase of Zoox (Tesla’s rival in the self-driving car segment), every move Bezos makes seems to be an opportunity for the Tesla boss to emphasize that “latecomer” is still latecomer.

But the jab isn’t just personal. It represents a new layer of competition in the already tense relationship between the two billionaires, as they both push toward a new frontier: AI for the physical economy and space exploration.

The conflict between Musk and Bezos has lasted for more than a decade, but initially revolved largely around space. SpaceX and Blue Origin became two opposing philosophies: one pursued speed, risk, and rapid failure, the other pursued a “slow and steady” model of incremental optimization.

That difference has created quite a few conflicts, from the right to use the launch pad to NASA contracts. Every time SpaceX succeeds, Elon Musk does not miss the opportunity to satirize Blue Origin, and every time Blue Origin progresses, Jeff Bezos affirms his “long-term vision”.

Now the race has expanded to AI, especially AI applied to robotics, engineering, and the aerospace industry. The Tesla boss has xAI, and the Amazon founder has Project Prometheus. In this context, the “copycat” taunt is not just a joke, but a strategic message: Elon Musk wants to position himself as a pioneer, while simultaneously downplaying the symbolic value of Bezos’s rebirth.

Ironically, despite the ridicule, Jeff Bezos’s comeback proves exactly what he once said: “I am the least retired person in the world.”

After leaving Amazon, he still works full-time with Blue Origin, deeply involved in AI and developing projects that he calls “infrastructure for the future beyond Earth.” If Elon Musk represents the model of a multi-tasking CEO who does many things at once, Jeff Bezos is the disciplined inventor who only acts when he has arranged everything in his own order.

For years, Jeff Bezos has stayed behind the scenes, letting Amazon and Blue Origin run the operations while he played the role of visionary. Becoming co-CEO of Prometheus shows Bezos is stepping back into the forefront, more proactive and ambitious, especially as AI becomes a strategic driver across all technology sectors.

On the other hand, Elon Musk creates a tight network of businesses and this approach allows him to raise huge amounts of capital and quickly implement new ideas.

Jeff Bezos, on the other hand, has a more traditional and clear-cut style. During his time running Amazon, he has always insisted that the public company needs his 100% focus, which is why he has never served as CEO of Blue Origin.

His return to Project Prometheus now, while a surprise move, is still within the “post-Amazon” framework, allowing him to focus almost exclusively (by some accounts, 99% of the time) on this new area without compromising his responsibilities at the online retailer. This difference is not only about business strategy but also about responsibility to shareholders and stakeholders.

New race

The conflict between Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos has not only been limited to the boardroom, but has also spilled over into a battle for public influence. Elon Musk has used his power at X to publicly criticize Jeff Bezos, even calling him a “puppet master,” referring to Bezos using The Washington Post (which Bezos personally owns) to report negatively about Elon Musk.

Now, the competition is taking on a new level. With Blue Origin recently having successfully launched and landed a rocket, and Bezos now betting big on AI through Project Prometheus (a company focused on the engineering and manufacturing applications of AI, which is very useful for a rocket company), the two Titans are racing not just to innovate, but to assert who is the true pioneer of the new era.

Besides, the confrontation between Elon Musk and Bezos has long been not only a battle between two companies, but also a display of personality. If Elon Musk likes the noise and extravagance of Silicon Valley, Jeff Bezos likes precision, privacy, and structured operations.

When the Tesla boss mocks the Amazon founder, it is both a way to assert himself and a familiar media tactic: proactively occupying public space, forcing opponents to react.

But behind the mocking emojis and the “mocking” status lines is a reality: the two most powerful billionaires in the technology industry are racing to dominate the fields that will have the greatest impact on the future of humanity. And every time one takes a step forward, the other cannot stand still.