Humans required
A project to stand ground for the original idea of human interaction on the hive blockchain. Proof of Brain. Its ideals are based on non-automated decisions to reward quality content. This is the place where both the best and the good authors can thrive, while actually receiving many more comments from their readers than usual, thanks to the emphasis on doing everything manually.
Lately, people are talking about allowing automation to a certain degree. Despite how this is obviously against POB's ideals, this conversation exists, because larger stakeholders simply want to meet their ROI. However, it's obvious this would harm the project in the long-term. Forcing the tribe's administration into accepting anti-proof-of-brain standards leads to loopholes that can and will be explored, denying most of POB's value in the future.
The road of cutting corners
Would you buy into a project that has already shown everyone how its values can be bent? Maybe only for the short term or for speculation in general, and you'd certainly not do it because you believe in that project.
You might also think it wouldn't show, but the whole curation leaders thing will pick up soon. People in this position will start responding to the biggest trail followers. Suddenly, the tribe gets the classic "voting rings" we've all come to hate. It happens to every tribe, and it will happen again.
Voting rings lead to fewer people being noticed by stakers and honest curators. Soon enough, Proof of Brain will have the same old problem that's plagued Hive and Steem before it: a money-farming loophole superseding the need for any proof-of-brain itself.
The road to true success
That is why you must say "no" to anything automated. If stakers don't want to be active, then they should delegate, forfeiting upvote rewards completely. If they don't want to invest their own time curating, they can delegate to a curator, which at least forces them to check how the POB project is doing every once in a while.
I dare say more projects can learn from Splinterlands' success. You will profit a bit if you simply spend $10k in boosters and let it sit for 2 years, but you will profit so much more if you are active in one way or another in the game. How many non-bot players do you guys think Splinterlands would have if it allowed card owners to earn just as much by being 100% passive?
Bottom line is... If you love POB, don't compensate passive users as much as active users. Stick to your ideals, for the sake of the project.
Image from @finguru's post presenting Hive