Started a new game with the latest 6.1. That is 0.95.5 to me.  Don't know about that .96 people talk about...

Anyway.  Playing at "gifted AI". 

I made a couple of silly mistakes during the colony rush and I lost three planets to AI player, one to the Krynn, two to the Iconian, but I got one back (flipped).

In my previous games, the Krynn and the Drengi were push overs.   Just about anyone would walk over them.  Right now, the Kryn are carving themselves a nice little empire, going to war with weaker nations like... mine.  Maybe it's because I'm playing Altarians and I'm not used playing them, but damn is it hard...  They keep coming at me! And the Drengin declared war on me, but I can't reach them for now.  But the Krynn are using more than a few ships, they have advanced tech and a lot of planets.  The first time, I had to sue for peace.  Now, I'll try to push them back, regain some territory lost by the Thalans.  But it's a really fun game.

However, since the AI still can not build correctly, I suspect in the long run, I will win.  I won't be defeated by a puny AI!