Automatic triggers are still set by human beings, and the framing is still done by a human. Neither is the case in this situation. The monkey can't release the

Automatic triggers are still set by human beings, and the framing is still done by a human. Neither is the case in this situation. The monkey can't release the copyright if it does not have copyright (which it doesn't in the US since it's not a human, see prev. comment), so it is in the public domain.