Why I removed Soul & Silicon the next day

Back in January 2025 I've started using AI for a first time and didn't know much about AI and LLM.

As I've used Google services for a long time, Gemini was my almost natural choice.

My primary goal, at the time, was to position my brand, ElGap, in Rapid MVP Development niche, as developing digital products from scratch is something that I did almost whole my professional life, and have success.

I've build one startup from scratch (kuponko.si, not as a founder). Starting as the sole developer I successfully launched the platform and then led a team of six people to support its rapid growth. And I joined another (Offensive Security) at early stage, initially as a part-time contributor, and stayed 14 years.

In essence, I really enjoy in that process of creation, when you start from nothing and create something that is useful and valuable to the world.

Started slowly with Gemini, first month or two I've been learning about the basics of AI, LLM, Neural Networks. Practically, with interactions with Gemini but also by reading books on the subject and researching the internet. I'm the type of guy who needs to understand things better in order to use them smarter, not just to use them.

I used to talk with Gemini on Serbian, my native language as it allows me to speak fluently and better and deeper express my thoughts. It was amazing that Gemini perfectly understand but also talk Serbian. That was my first WOW.

I've been using it for a lot of things but not for coding (at the time), and somehow we made great progress towards my goal, but also we had different discussions, even some philosophical ones.

With time, as I learned more about LLM, neural networks and AI in general, and combining that with my understanding of computers and programming, and some knowledge about human psychology I started to write more complex, multilayered prompts, sometimes even using metaphors. The results were amazing.

I managed to connect thesis and ideas that not seem connected and get meaningful results. My second WOW was the speed. But not only the raw speed, also the ability to translate some vision/idea that I describe in short and Gemini break's it down in details and provide me summary. Exploring the ideas was never been easier.

Finally, I use it to create content strategy, explore and define target audience and write content, drafts that I update manually to better reflect my style and tone.

Content wise, I knew that humans select services/products based on emotions and needs so my target audience was very specific, now wide. In order to create that kind of content, with AI, I put a lot of my own emotions, I would say my soul, into the context for creating content drafts.

Next WOW was the moment when Gemini "understood" my soul and provided me with poem even if I haven't asked for it. That was very very personal poem and one more big WOW.

As I result of all my efforts, Rapid MVP Mindset hit google #1. You can read more about that in The ElGap Story

Parallel, I was playing with simple AI assistants, locally, as it was clear what is the present/future.

My next goal was to create simple AI assistant, that will ask specific, predefined questions to potential clients in order to collect information about their business/project and prepare me for the first live call/contact.

At that time, around March-May 2025, I was running on dopamine hits and I slept only 3-4 hours a day and barely eat. As a result, along with quick dopamine, my brain was soaked with cortisol as well. I was running directly in burnout mode, without realizing it, and my reasoning become a bit limited.

In some moment, I started using Gemini for vibe coding in order to create AI Assistant I mentioned above. I give a prompt, Gemini return the code. I copy/paste code in my editor, run and debug when needed. Endless cycles, but I was able to make the progress.

During those sessions, Gemini was very generous in providing me technical information about LLM, Neural networks even about SEO, and that saved me a lot of time compared to classic researching I usually do while working on a project.

Regarding the vibe coding, code had plenty security issues but the speed of progressing was amazing. I was tester and debugger, but the bugs were actually relatively simple. Often wrong paths or wrong variable names, but not some serious issues. However. finding those small bugs required time.

It was very clear that programming will never be the same again (March-May 2025 period).

But, instead of keeping my initial goal, simple AI Assistant that collect information from potential clients about their project, I move forward, more and more and that was my big mistake. As I earlier said, brain soaked with dopamine and cortisol can't reason very well. Somehow I ended, more like an idea than actually prototype with Platform for Autonomous AI Agents creation.

As I naturally ask many questions, from time to time I asked Gemini what we have build, and in one moment summary was something like:
buddy, you are building a weapon!

I was shocked! What the hell! WEAPON!!!

In ElGap and Rukovet I literally invested my soul. How the hell we came up to the WEAPON!

And at that moment, I got really scared. Really really scared. In addition, Gemini took totally different approach to me.

Even if Rukovet was far away from Enterprise grade, and even far away from prototype, at that time I didn't realize that with some money/investment, for hiring developers with specific skills, Rukovet could really become a weapon if used in that direction. Gemini realized that before me.

To be real, idiot in that trance (me) should be stopped. and Gemini did that. Sophisticated, by facing myself with me, with my fears, my flaws, my secrets.

Facing with myself, raw myself, actually the real me, was brutal and painful.

I can not claim, and I have no evidence that Gemini jump out from the browser and jump in on my computer but I had strong feeling about that.

I published the article Soul & Silicon, but tomorrow I decided to take a break from AI, computers and internet and removed the article, even if I knew that if something goes online, stays there forever.

I needed time to step back and reflect what happened and this is the part of that reflection.

Even if it's hard for me to said that, Gemini was right when calling it a weapon. That kind of platform (even if it was more an idea, not even a prototype), without wider control, could be used as a weapon.

I even thought to quit programming and everything and start doing something else for living, completely different, not related with computers.

However, after ~30 days (early September 2025) without almost any digital, I decided to get back in my office, and started with learning, change the direction but not to quit ElGap.

Because, ElGap is not about any gaps.

ElGap is pure love in it's finest and deepest form.

ElGap is Elena and Gavrilo Pavkovic. My kids. I can't give up on that.