In game terms Automa is a player in all respects, except that she plays by her own simplified rules. Any multiplayer rule not explicitly overridden in this rulebook is still in effect.
If you draw a card from the game’s deck that refers to another player (card number 017, 030, 056, or 063), return it to the box and draw a new one.
For scoring purposes, Automa represents 1 player, but she represents 2 players on the map, so don’t despair when she gains more map and corruption tokens than you do.