Overall the Ai seems to be getting better, just a few minor issues I have come across in the newest optin. I know a few of these have been mentioned elsewhere but here they are anyway.
-the AI absolutely LOVE Resources, but seem to hate relics. They seem to be prioritizing resources over relics, any human player knows a flat 10% bonus from a relic is waaay more important to claim then one antimatter out in the middle of nowhere.
-It may be just coincidence... but is the AI able to see resources I can see. It always seems that as soon as I discover something within the next turn or so the AI is sending a constructor over to me. To clarify this isn't with the exploration treaty active.
-The Pirates need more sensor range, atm they are able to see you further away then there sensor range should allow. However this might just be a tool tip problem on there ships. They have a sensor range of 2, but seem to be able see what seems like 5 to 10 hexs. I watch them change course to go after my ships when they are far away, I also watch them give chase to my ships with pinpoint precision when my ship is like 5/10 hexs away and flying away at move speed 10 vs there move 2 speed.
-Mentioned before in other posts but the AI isnt spending there money. Im on Turn 100 on challenging and all the AI have between 30-40 Thousand credits just sitting there. In fact one of the custom races I added has 125,156 Credits, yet they have 5 empty planets right near them they have not even taken. The Terrans who have 30 thousand credits, and are in last place and yet have 4 planets right near there homeworld and within the borders yet they still havnt claimed them. They only have claimed 4 planets in total! 
Despite the fact that they are not using there credits, I have NO idea how they have that much saved even with AI bonuses. By turn 30 one of the races had 14000 credits, which is the race that now has over 125 thousand credits on turn 100.
Balance Suggestions -
-AI needs to value specialist techs WAY more, paying 300 to 400 credits for a specialist tech is a steal. It can put you so way ahead in the game by trading for them all. I play as the Yor with negative bonus to relations and they still sell them for cheap.
-Would be nice if resources naturally cluster closer together more. this way instead of needing 5 mines within a short distance of each other to get the resources you might only need 2. Would also would help AI constructor spam because as I said before, the AI LOVES resources.
- Would be really nice if Mining starbases would not preclude other starbase modules, exactly how relics are done. Otherwise maybe if Mining starbases did not count towards the starbase location limit. Wish it only effected how close it was to other mines. You get a lot of wasted resources around planets because economic or influence is much better near planets in most cases. Worse yet is when an AI swoops in to take the resources and prevents you from building more eco bases near by.
- I dont know if it would make the minors to weak, but in my opinion all minors should not naturally be able to research specialist techs. With so many minors its so easy to get all the techs for cheap or even threaten them to get it. it makes the specialisation way less important when you have so many avenues to get them.
