## Metis Makes a Bold Bet on AI: LazAI Launches Its Alpha Mainnet with an All-in-One Solution

The battle for differentiation among Ethereum L2s is intensifying. While many rollups focus on optimizing transaction speed, Metis has taken a different route: positioning itself as a next-generation AI infrastructure. Last December, LazAI —a project incubated by Metis— officially announced the launch of its Alpha mainnet, marking a milestone in Metis's commitment to becoming the preferred L2 for artificial intelligence applications.

**The context: why AI is the next frontier for L2**

The decision is not made on a whim. Earlier this year, Metis defined a comprehensive AI-centered strategy that materialized in two fronts: Hyperion as a high-performance L2 for AI applications with parallel execution, and LazAI as the data and AI network that completes the entire model lifecycle.

The reasoning is profound. In the near future, AI will not only execute tasks within applications — they will also be the primary interfaces for users. When an AI receives human instructions and decides which application to use to complete a task, the competition for "capturing traffic" changes radically. L2s that dominate this AI input space will hold an irreversible structural advantage.

Meanwhile, the Metis token (METIS) is currently trading at $4.92 with a -5.29% 24-hour decline, reflecting market volatility, although the project continues to advance on its technical roadmap.

## LazAI: it’s not just an AI application, it’s AI infrastructure

A common mistake is confusing LazAI with another AI token or applied AI platform. It’s the opposite: it’s a complete network encompassing data, training, and deployment within a verifiable ecosystem.

**The three technical pillars:**

**iDAO**: The minimal participation unit and consensus node. It can be any actor in the AI lifecycle: data providers, model trainers, computational power contributors, or application developers. This modularity breaks down the AI ecosystem into interchangeable roles with aligned incentives.

**DAT (Data Anchoring Tokens)**: The core innovation. Unlike standard fungible tokens, DAT encodes three attributes simultaneously: ownership certificate (proof of origin and authorship), usage rights (access quotas, number of inferences allowed), and value participation (automatic revenue generation proportional to future use). This allows data contributors to earn perpetual income, not just from an initial transaction.

**Verifiable computing framework**: Solves the "black box" problem in AI. It combines TEE (Trusted Execution Environments) for privacy, ZKP (Zero-Knowledge Proofs) for verification without data exposure, and OP (Optimistic Proofs) to optimize speed. This hybrid system is analogous to ZK Rollups but specifically designed for AI, balancing privacy, efficiency, and on-chain verifiability.

## Operational flow: from encrypted data to verified DATs

The cycle begins when users send encrypted data to iDAO, which packages it into LazAI Flow and sends it to Quorum via VSC (Verifiable Service Coordinator, a group of experts validating data authenticity). Quorum —LazChain’s consensus mechanism— uses TEE/ZKP to verify and anchor the hash on-chain.

Once verified, DATs are minted, metadata and ownership rights are registered. When users transfer DATs to request services, TEE executes off-chain and results are verified via ZKP/OP. The entire custody chain is recorded in a verifiable manner.

## Testnet results and the launch of the Alpha mainnet

Before the launch, LazAI had already demonstrated real traction. The testnet accumulated nearly 140,000 active users. Its evolutionary AI companion Lazbubu, launched by the official team, attracted almost 15,000 users with consistent engagement.

A notable use case: ROVR Network, which turns ordinary vehicles into 3D data mappers of the physical world, adopted LazAI’s solution. ROVR continuously generates high-precision geospatial datasets that are integrated into the LazAI ecosystem, acting as iDAO. Its data is minted as DATs, creating a DePIN and RWA database that future autonomous driving tools can use for self-optimization.

**Incentives for developers:**

With the launch of the Alpha mainnet, LazAI will not issue tokens immediately. Instead, it launches a developer incentive program endowed with 10,000 METIS. It covers from early prototypes to mature applications, including promotion on social media and funds for user growth. For professionals with AI expertise and model developers, it’s a unique opportunity to monetize contributions through future airdrops.

## Academic backing and development culture

Technical credibility is reinforced by support from the academic community. In June, Dr. Zehua Wang —a key member of the Blockchain Research Center at the University of British Columbia and adjunct professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering— joined as a technical advisor. His expertise in decentralized multi-agent systems, trustworthy edge AI, and blockchain security adds depth to LazAI’s architecture.

Metis’s developer-valuing culture is deliberate: first with its pioneering decentralized sequencer in L2, now with this incentive ecosystem. This consistency attracts long-term talent.

## Why AI infrastructure is "difficult, but right"

Previous Web3+AI projects in the market usually fall into three categories: computational power networks, incentive model launchpads, and data labeling platforms. The first two do not address real needs; they merely seek to use blockchain as a tool. The third has limited scope.

LazAI is different: it’s Web3-native infrastructure that solves a concrete problem through an original mechanism. It’s not a token issuance patch but logic directly encoded into the protocol that ensures participants receive sustained benefits.

## Perspective: why this matters for Metis

Metis’s strategy is twofold: expand the on-chain application ecosystem while positioning as a settlement layer. As more unrelated application chains are built on mature L2s, the demand for Metis as a cross-layer infrastructure will grow.

The future value of blockchain tokens will increasingly be tied to actual adoption and gas demand, not narrative speculation. Metis is building precisely that: a product serving the entire AI lifecycle, not just a "on-chain model" or a temporary launchpad. For developers and users, products at the core of the ecological strategy always deserve participation.