This might be the case already.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Internet_theory

Even the multiplayer video games have bots...

Some of the users here are not real at all.

It's logical, if you want to push your product, be promoted on the first page of HN then you have to post fake comments using bots.

-> You get credibility and karma/trust for future submissions, and that's pretty much all you have to do.

Costs about 2 USD, can bring 2'000 USD in revenue, why wouldn't you want to "hustle" (like YC says) ?

Bots are here to grow, it will take time as for now the issue is still small, but you may already have interacted with bots, so do I.