Why does the ai EVER choose Fire Flies?

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Fire Flies has 6 shots. Fire Darts is 3+ (so an F1 would send 3). The AI assumes (I guess) that "hey, I have twice as many chances to hit!" without noticing that the Darts are bigger hits and better targeting.
Try with an F2+ (gets more Darts at higher levels.) I imagine an F4 would not use Flies at all.

[tinkthank]

Hm.... sounds like there could be room for improvement here.

Perhaps if the computer decides it is going to cast some form of damage-dealing spell, it should calculate research level of that spell into the algorithm somehow?

[Endoperez]

Why should the research level matter? Better spells often need more research, but that doesn't mean they always are. For example, in many cases I prefer Falling Frost to Frozen Heart. Both are good, but for different reasons, and should be used depending on the situation.