1. The problem asks what happens if $i = 1$. 2. Here, $i$ is often used to represent the imaginary unit, which is defined as $i = \sqrt{-1}$. 3. If we set $i = 1$, then the imaginary unit is no longer imaginary but a real number. 4. This changes the fundamental properties of complex numbers, as $i^2 = -1$ would no longer hold true. 5. Therefore, setting $i = 1$ means we are not dealing with complex numbers anymore but just real numbers. 6. In summary, $i = 1$ is a different assumption that removes the imaginary unit's unique properties.