[Starfire512]

Better AI modding.

I've noted that one of the advantages that a player can use over the AI is single use planets. The AI tends to build multiple facility types on a single planet, including R&D on high resource value planets. Players on the other hand, tend to put one main facility type on a planet (say Minerals) and then load up on the bonus facilities (Robotic Factories, Mineral Scanners, etc.). This gives a much larger total production overall when you examine this on an empire wide scale. A poor resource planet, then is loaded with many R&D facilities.
Another AI problem is that the AI considers a tiny domed planet to be equivalent of a Huge non-domed planet. Thus, Default_AI_Planet_Types: "Percent of Colonies:" becomes fairly worthless as a method of tracking overall production balance to the empire.
If the AI could take a broader look at its facility building abilities, it would be better (Empire Wide: running low on minerals, where is the best place to build more -- but restricted by minimum mineral value). I think the AI could be made considerably stronger. Another thing that I often look at is "Am I plus or minus on the resources I'm taking in vs using?". This tells me whether I need to focus on resource production or R&D point production.
The key is that SpaceEmpires is first an economic game, and secondly a military game. Thus, if the economic abilities of the AI are inefficient, then the overall AI will be seen as weak as it just doesn't have enough ships to compete.