The concept of an automatic structure has been generalized from groups [ECH+] to semigroups [CRRT]. Several authors [CRR, Hof, Kam] have asked the following question: Let S be a finitely generated semigroup embeddable in a group and let G be its universal group [CP, Chapter ]. If G is automatic, must S be automatic? Examples in favour of this implication include: free groups and s...