Is L2 powerless to turn the tide? Looking at the future development from Metis's AI strategy.

Many people believe that the Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem is beyond saving, but that's not the case.

If we look solely from the perspective of the TPS arms race, there is indeed a sense of decline reminiscent of an old general. However, after the Pectra technology upgrade, if some layer2 can reposition themselves correctly, they might still have a chance to fight back?

Recently, Metis released the strategic roadmap for All in AI. Can this alternative choice break the current impasse in layer 2?

Come, let me share my observations:

1. To be honest, the fundamental problem facing the current Layer 2 ecosystem is not a lack of technical capability, but rather the solidification of narrative boundaries. Most projects are still using the linear thinking of "faster speed, cheaper Gas," and this homogenized competitive situation has led to too many generic Layer 2 solutions emerging, with the technical differences becoming smaller and smaller, while the real pain point for users—the lack of killer applications—remains unresolved.

After深入研究 Metis's technology route, I found that its real innovation point is not in the breakthrough of a single technology, but in the systematic architectural reconstruction. The dual network strategy (Andromeda + Hyperion) is essentially a clever solution to the classic trade-off of "generality vs specialization."

Clearly, Metis needs to maintain the stability and reliability of the existing Layer2 Andromeda on one hand, providing a mature DeFi and Web3 application infrastructure; on the other hand, it needs to create a high-performance execution layer specifically for AI scenarios, shifting from a general-purpose technology stack to a specialized AI infrastructure. This not only avoids homogeneous competition with other Layer2s but also finds a technical path for the integration of AI and Web3 (providing a feasible breakthrough idea for the Ethereum ecosystem?).

2. Previously, many people are familiar with the Andromeda chain, Metis's decentralized Sequencer, and Hybrid Rollup technology innovations. What is special about the brand new Hyperion AI chain this time?

1. MetisVM, a virtual machine deeply customized for AI applications, improves execution efficiency by 30% compared to traditional EVM through dynamic opcode optimization, marking a qualitative leap for AI inference scenarios. More importantly, the MPEF parallel execution framework resolves the conflict between blockchain serial processing and AI concurrency demands.

2. MetisDB employs memory-mapped Merkle trees and MVCC concurrency control, achieving nanosecond-level state access. This design completely eliminates storage bottlenecks, providing hardware performance assurance for high-frequency AI computing. Based on this background, it is not difficult to understand MetisSDK; simply put: MetisSDK is built on modular components and standardized interfaces, creating a development toolkit specifically for AI applications, abstracting complex chain-level technology into composable blocks, effectively lowering the development threshold for AI applications.

3. Based on my personal observations of the web3AI industry, the biggest issue currently is not a lack of technical capability, but rather the distortion of the value distribution mechanism. Large platforms monopolize most of the value, and data providers hardly benefit. In other words, today's AI is a black box; where does the training data come from? How does the algorithm work? Are the results trustworthy? These questions remain unclear. LazAI attempts to change this situation through three core innovations:

1. The iDAO model redefines the AI governance structure. Unlike traditional DAOs, iDAO allows everyone or AI agents to become participants in governance, rather than passive data providers. To some extent, this is a "substitute" for the current centralized governance model of AI.

2. DAT (Data Anchoring Token) has a particularly clever design concept. Unlike traditional NFTs that only record static ownership, it tracks the entire lifecycle of AI assets. This innovation can directly address the fundamental issue of the difficulty in quantifying data value in the AI economy.

3. Verifiable computing provides transparency for AI behavior. This is akin to equipping AI with a "black box," where all reasoning processes are verifiable, traceable, and accountable. The concept of "verifiable AI" provides a foundation of trust for decentralized AI applications. This set of synergistic designs builds a brand new "value distribution engine" for the integration of AI and Web3. If DeFi establishes a financial value system using metrics such as TVL and APR, LazAI is constructing a similar quantitative framework for AI.

The above.

In conclusion, the current Metis technical framework, in my view, resembles a sandwich structure. The bottom layer is Metis itself, providing a unified governance mechanism and token incentives; the middle layer is Hyperion, which is specifically designed for high-performance AI computations; and the top layer is LazAI, which defines the rules for value circulation. This layered design is not a simple stacking of technologies; each layer is both independent and collaborative, avoiding the "one-size-fits-all" trap of traditional single-chain architectures.

As for what everyone is most concerned about, the $METIS tokenomics will naturally be upgraded in sync. As the native token of the dual network, METIS's revenue sources are more diversified than traditional Layer 2: in addition to transaction fees, there are also new revenue sources such as computing fees and data validation fees. The introduction of the Holders Mining revenue sharing model further transforms token holders from passive speculators into participants sharing in the ecological value.

Overall, Metis's exploration has opened up a new path for the development of Layer 2. In an era of severe technical homogeneity, scenario differentiation may be the key to breaking through. Whether it succeeds or not depends on the specific execution, but at least the direction chosen is good. (Looking back, the previous narrative positioning of decentralized Sequencers was at least successful.)