[Cyrien]

1) Are there mods for the AI which make it more intellegent in its strategy and descision making? I am tired of the CIV type AI's which compensate for their stupidity with overwhelming force.

TDM modpack does nothing but improve the AI and add several new more intelligent races as well. The answer to this is thusly a big fat YES. Also the difficutly (smarts) of the computer and how much brute cheating force it can muster are distinct and different options. 1. Difficulty
2. AI Advantage or Bonus

2)While playing the demo I noticed whenever I contacted a race and made an offer (such as a trade treaty) I would have to wait till the end of the turn for the answear. Does this mean that offers and counteroffers will take several turns?

I won't beat around the bush. Diplomacy is probably the weakest link in the SE4 AI. You probably won't be doing counter offers back and forth across several turns. But to answer the question - Yes. Counter Offers would go back and forth and take several turns to complete, especially using Sim Turns.

3) How do you use the remote miners etc. which show up on your ship design screen. Do I add them to a ship and move them to the planet I want to mine? Does the mined material automatically get into resource pool or do I need to transport back to a planet with a spaceport? Is there anyway to automate the whole process?

You create satellites or ships or starbases with the component on it. I have always prefered starbases. Either way you then put what has it in orbit of the planet or asteroid field you want mined and it will automatically add to your resource pool any resources it removes. If it's a ship just put it on sentry and let it work. Don't even need to do that much for satellites or starbases once you have em. Get a remote builder ship and build the starbase in orbit of the asteroid field or unused planet. Or load the satellite up on a satellite carrier go out deploy the satellite in orbit and mine away.

Thank You in advance for your help.

You are very much welcome.