In Hong Kong where I last worked in the tower (2 years ago) the tower assistant prepared the basic ATIS info which is mainly electronically generated, but the tower controller had to authenticate the information contained therein before broadcasting the ATIS. This was critical when undergoing runway changes and/or trying to keep ahead of rapidly changing weather conditions. As yet I doubt that there's an ATIS mechanism that is able to anticipate all of the parameters that a live breathing controller is able to forecast.
As for the controller's ability to accurately assess runway alignment for approaching aircraft, in Australia, Dubai and Hong Kong where I worked, the tower controller had a readout of the terminal radar display that indicated where the landing aircraft were tracking. I don't know what happens in the States, but I would have to guess they have something similar.
Just remember, that for every radio transmission that the system records as ATC radio "chatter" is probably about 20% of the controller's workload, particularly when it's busy.
At 2 in the morning it can get pretty demanding.