[Puke]

if you want to make the AI stronger, there is an easy way that Tampa Gamer created a simple mod for a few years ago. I lost the mod, but its easy to make:

create a custom culture with high bonuses to everything. like maybe +50% or +200% to everything. Then edit the AI general files to all use that culture. Then play with a high bonus.

For even greater challenge, play with 5000 point AIs and only use 0 points for yourself. maybe take no cultural bonus yourself, or take penalites to attack and defense.

more importantly, play in a small quadrant so that you cant isolate and build up. the AI's bonus becomes useless the more you can expand.