Amazon founder Jeff Bezos laid out an expansive vision for America's technological future, saying the United States must beat China in the race to return humans to the moon, that artificial intelligence could eventually let families get by on less work, and that data centers could one day operate in orbit.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier on «Special Report,» conducted on Blue Origin's factory floor in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Bezos said he is confident an American lunar landing is achievable in 2028. «We have to beat China to the moon, and I believe we will beat China to the moon,» he said, adding that NASA and Blue Origin are aligned on the goal and that routine cargo deliveries will be needed to sustain a lunar base.
Bezos argued against skipping the moon on the way to Mars, describing Earth's satellite as «a gift» because of its proximity and resources. Lunar soil could be used to manufacture solar cells, he said, while oxygen produced on the moon could serve as rocket propellant. The objective, he added, is not a single mission but a lasting presence: «It won't just be a mission and leave. It'll be a real sustainable lunar base.»
Blue Origin is preparing to return its New Glenn rocket to flight in December following an explosion during an engine test in May. Bezos praised the team for repairing the launch pad and said the next flight will carry Blue Ring, a vehicle designed to transport payloads into different orbits and farther into space. Asked about plans to increase launches from a single pad from 12 to 50 annually, he said the company is building three additional pads.
His long-term ambitions are far greater. «Our goal is to fly every day,» Bezos said. «And, then, once we're flying every day, we want to fly every hour. And then once we're flying every hour, we want to fly every minute.» He acknowledged that the final goal draws skepticism from his own team. «They think I'm crazy,» he said. «But I've seen crazy things before come true.»
Bezos said he has personally invested $28 billion in Blue Origin and that the company recently raised $10 billion from outside investors for the first time. An initial public offering could come several years from now, he said. «I didn't really want to take outside investors until I was sure that it would be a good investment for them,» he said.
On artificial intelligence, Bezos predicted productivity gains could allow some families to live on one income or support themselves with a shorter workweek. «Some people will also decide, you know what? I can support my family by working three days a week,» he said. «That's what productivity in the economy means.» He argued those gains could create a labor shortage as Americans choose to work less, saying it will «actually be difficult to hire people» because productivity will make second jobs optional.
Baier challenged that prediction, pointing to roughly 30,000 corporate roles Amazon has cut since late last year. Bezos said Amazon was in a «very special position» after substantially expanding its workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, and while he acknowledged public fears about AI's impact on jobs, he said he disagrees with those predicting a more troubling outcome.
At Prometheus, where Bezos is a co-founder and co-CEO, he said the goal is to develop an «artificial general engineer» that helps people turn ideas into physical products. «We're going to make the tools so easy to use that anyone will be able to be an engineer,» he said. Bezos said AI could generate double-digit productivity gains across the economy. Asked whether the industry is in an investment bubble, he said it is «very hard to know,» but argued that useful technology survives even when investors lose money. «The inventions don't disappear when the bubble pops,» he said, citing lifesaving drugs developed during the biotechnology boom and fiber-optic cables laid during the internet boom.
On government oversight, Bezos urged a light approach while the technology develops, with rules focused on harmful uses. «In the beginning stages, when technologies are new, a light hand is appropriate,» he said. «You don't want to regulate knives. You want to regulate murder,» he added, arguing policymakers should target dangerous applications and bad actors rather than restrict the underlying technology.
Asked about concerns over data centers and electricity costs, Bezos pointed to Blue Origin's Project Sunrise. He said the company has an application with the Federal Communications Commission to launch more than 50,000 satellites serving as orbital data centers. «Yes, we can put data centers in space,» he said.
Bezos also pushed back on politicians who cast billionaires as villains. «Success is not villainy,» he said. The interview aired as Fox News Channel marked its 30th anniversary.