We Took A Month-Long AI Break and Here’s What Happened
It’s not you, it’s us…or maybe it’s both?
From the beginning of the month to mid-summer, Signal Operations went through so many changes, but using AI seemed to pick up a bit more for the more mundane things.
At first, we thought, “no problem, it’s saving time, and the results are acceptable”, but as summer reared its head, we began reprioritizing and looking more closely at our processes.
And we realized, it was getting a bit much and something needed to change. So, we said “Enough is enough”; we had to break up with ChatGPT and generative AI.
So from July to August 2025 (and onwards), we banned it from the business.
Setting the Scene
“Why?”
There are a few things that led us to take this break. First, we realized we were relying a little too much on the more mundane things. Generating some quick website copy here and there meant we were losing our authentic voice slowly (because it really wasn’t us as much as we felt it was).
Then, we did a bit more research about GenAI and its environmental impact. From the countless articles we reviewed, we more clearly understood about the increased energy consumption, water usage for cooling, and electronic waste generation (Zewe, 2025). It was at that moment that we realized we were acting against our values of environmental sustainability.
AI was making us a bit uneasy. Had we lost our way? Were we so focused on “efficiency” that we were actually ignoring what was truly beneficial to us as a business, as creators, as people?
So yes, we decided it’s time to cut the cord, taking a month-long break, to start, from GenAI and this is what we noticed:
Things Took a Bit More Time
Having an outline generated for you for a blog is nice, but if you don’t practice, you don’t get better. And when it comes to writing, you get worse.
The first thing we all noticed as we pulled back on generative AI is that things took a bit longer. Being creative takes a toll; a lot of people forget that. Forming an entire blog just from your brain, making content, thinking of ideas, that creative process takes a little time.
I’ve always been a creative person, whether in performance, writing, art, etc., you name it, I’ve done it. Things take time. Now, everything within reason. We’re writing posts for social media and blogs for our websites, not making paintings for the Guggenheim.
I had already begun rebuilding my creative process, putting boundaries between myself and ChatGPT, and while this has been more than a month-long process for myself, where I am now in my creative output versus February is two very different places.
But creating from a place of genuineness takes a bit more time, and that’s okay. We’re so caught up in “efficiency” that sometimes we forget that true efficiency in creation is not about the time, but in the act itself, in the ability to create from a place of truth, rather than what’s just easy.
It Encouraged More Team Collaboration
Members on our team often use AI to brainstorm ideas or get a start on projects. While ChatGPT can be a great brainstorming tool, as we put some distance between us and GenAI, we realized getting that initial start on projects was harder than before. Where do we start? Where do we find ideas?
Then, we started to turn inwards. Without using AI, the team came together to brainstorm and discuss ideas for content, plans, and how we can improve as a team. It fostered a new level of collaboration throughout the team, and we were able to learn from one another. Suddenly, we were connecting, sharing, and leaning on each other more than we had before.
In simple terms, we were becoming a real team again.
We Forgot It Existed
Obviously, we didn’t forget that ChatGPT and GenAI exist, but as a “tool for work”, it was out of sight, out of mind.
The more we relied on our own skills and our fellow team members, it was as if we had never used ChatGPT in the first place, and the habit was broken. We probably should have made it a New Year's Resolution because it would’ve been such an easy “win”.
Creative processes felt much more natural and flowed with ease. We asked direct, clarifying questions when we didn’t know the answer, and everything felt more human again.
Don’t get us wrong, we love technology, and we are all about efficiency, but the important distinction to make is the balance between quality and efficiency.
We are not saying all AI is bad, of course.
Many of the software we use have critical AI capabilities that truly improve efficiency and quality of work (to err is human, but when it comes to finances, there are definitely some aspects that don’t need the “human touch”). However, there are a lot of factors to using GenAI that we need to evaluate more attentively, especially the environmental impact.
If you’ve been playing with the idea of taking an AI break, this can be your sign to try it out. Start with a month, look at what changes and what stays the same, then learn from your team’s experience.
Looking for some help creating an AI Policy for your business (and your team)? We can help!