[PvK]

I don't think the AI deconstructs captured ships and analyzes them to increase its tech levels.

IIRC, it could be worse for the AI if it did, because of the way the AI creates ship and unit designs. Sometimes if an AI has technology that it was not scripted to research itself, it will decide it is good to use it in its designs, even though it may only ever get tech level one in that tech area, so it gets stuck building ships with Meson Blaster I instead of Quantum Torpedo V. Though, that may just be when the AI isn't scripted carefully (e.g. an AI modded used cut & paste from some other race when doing the ship design), but I do remember it happening to some AI's who were traded low tech levels in techs they don't usually research themselves.

PvK