What is exactly the difference in AI settings?

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by Bowlingballhead:
I do not know that I trust the evidence of taking over enemy provinces and finding sites. I find pre-visible sites in independent provinces as well, but do not seem to find pre-visible sites at all more often when I take over AI land.

I have found many sites such as tar pits, and mazes, which are always invisible until searched in AI territory, so they definetly perform some searching. They also cast far too many spells to not have boosted their gem income by searching.