It is no longer automated, see <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8613446" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8613446</a><p>But it hasn't stopped users from submitting request for ideas, e.g. <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8614657" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8614657</a>, or the occasional "What bothers you currently and you'd pay money to solve it?" posts.