Automation is vital in configuration management as it ensures configurations are applied consistently and without manual intervention. In CD environments, where code is deployed frequently (even multiple times a day), relying on manual setup would be inefficient and error-prone. Automation ensures that infrastructure and software environments are reproducible, reducing the likelihood of misconfigurations. It also speeds up deployment, improves reliability, and supports scaling by ensuring that any number of instances or environments can be created identically. Tools like Ansible and Puppet enable such automation, promoting agility and resilience in software delivery pipelines.