Autoresponders are a useful tool for sure... In fact its hugely important for internet marketers... But that is not something which automates affiliate marketing... Automation is things like:
1) Automating the provision (and creation) of bonuses to people who buy through your affiliate link. The manual process is to validate the receipts manually as well as setting up bonus products and the necessary scripts for validation and secure downloading. Automation is when that is done for you in real time without requiring any manual effort..
2) Capturing the email addresses of actual buyers who purchase through your affiliate link. Affiliate platforms only provide this data to vendors. Automation is a way to grab that data whilst the customer proceeds to purchase.... or when bonus claims are made.
3) Receiving email notification on every sale you achieve... Normally that does not happen... Manually the affiliate has to keep logging into the network... Automation is getting that notification in your in-box...
Affiliate marketing automation are specific things related to affiliate marketing and the platform which its based on.... A good example is this
WSO on this forum.
Email marketing is an entire discipline in itself - its bread and butter essentials... but its uses is much broader than that of supporting affiliate marketers...
Disclaimer: That's my WSO and tool which I have developed... I will point out its fair play on my part to post it as the link goes to a page on this forum. In so far as automation tools - its highly relevant to the discussion as this provides an example of what automation tools for affiliates should really be about...