I've been delaying an on my 8 because because I need to do it on a day where I have time to use ADB to disable the slop.

I recommend looking into using the alternative OS for Pixel phones made by, and named as @GrapheneOS
It is not as intimidating as it used to be to swap the OS. They have a browser based installer that is, more or less, plug and play.
Once installed, use their app store to install a sandboxed version of the Google Play Service and Google Play Store. You're basically back where you started, but with more control and privacy over the AI and other BS they push.

I'm still on a 4a.

It still does 100% of what I want to do.

It doesn't get the AI shit upgrades.

I'm keeping it.

I use GrapheneOS. But yeah the contactless phone payments cannot work. Otherwise the installation was straightforward (there's a web/easier version) and it's a "hardened" version of the AOSP (Android Open Source Project). You can still use Google Play but it doesn't have the same permissions (by design) as on Google stock.

I should add, if you want to go back, last time I checked Google provide stock Pixel devices Android OSs to reinstall.

https://grapheneos.org/

I have a 7 pro. I was buying every other generation but am also put off by the LLM "features." I wanted to go back to an iPhone but Apple has fallen into the same trap

Google Pixel 8 should recieve security updates until October 2030, so you should be good...