[ToxicSlurpee]

The problem here is the "A" part. It's artificial, which makes it not at all intelligent. A human can outsmart an AI opponent very easily by just watching to see what it does. In an abstract situation such as a strategy game, the only option that an AI programmer has is to give the AI a bonus to provide a challenge.

I think that's why some people say the AI in SEIV sucks. Mind you, it's horrid in most other games as well. The thing is, it gets a bonus dependant on difficulty. One human ship is worth more than one AI ship in many cases, as the AI is probably predictable.

Until we create artificial sentience, AI will have to do as is. When that isn't satisfactory, we'll simply have to play each other.