Those who have automation seem to love it.
Personally, I don't have anything other than a basic SolarTouch controller for my solar heating system. I don't have or want automation. I believe in K.I.S.S. I find that many with automation don't really know how their pool works, beyond "you push this button, and that happens".
I have a 19k pool/spa with infloor cleaning, solar and NG heating, and a salt water chlorine generator one variable speed pump, one single speed pump.. I have my VS pump programmed to come on each morning at a speed optimized for the infloor cleaning for 1 hour to clean up the pool. It then drops down to the minimum speed needed to operate my SWCG. If heat is called for and available at the solar panels, the solar control ramps up the pump to a pre set speed that is optimized for the solar system, and opens the solar control valve. When finished it closes the valve and returns control to the pump programming. After the SWCG is through chlorinating the pool for the day, the pump drops to a very slow 1000 rpm (using the power of a 100w light bulb), which provides extra filtration that makes the water extra sparkling clean. At 10pm it shuts down and waits for the next morning. That's all done within the pump programming, and is done without any automation system.