Harmony plans Layer 1 shutdown for Ethereum-based AI video pivot

Harmony is pulling the plug on its Layer 1 blockchain to chase the artificial intelligence hype. The team is pitching a radical migration that would see its native token move to Ethereum to support a new "remix economy" focused on AI video creators. It's a blunt admission that the original network couldn't gain enough traction to survive on its own terms. Current validators won't be left in the dark, as the project plans to assist their transition into this new ecosystem. The proposal shifts the focus from general-purpose smart contracts to a specialized niche where creators generate and trade synthetic media. This pivot follows a turbulent period for the protocol, which has struggled to reclaim its former glory after a massive $100 million bridge hack in 2022. Whether a community built on a defunct blockchain will follow them into the crowded AI sector remains the big gamble. Can a rebranded token on a rival network actually lure in the creators Harmony so desperately needs?