> You say "awful AI", but it's clearly a AAA selling game, where 90%+ of players play on the single player setting.

Yes, 90%+ of players play on the single player setting - despite an awful AI. And I say that as one of that 90%. It is certainly not the AI that made me buy and play Civ. I don't expect nor want AI to play perfectly, but I do want AI to play good enough to not make ridiculously dumb decisions.

For example, notice how often AI leaves embarked units unprotected, so they can be easily destroyed. Or how often despite having long range artillery, it will enter town's firing range (even with that artillery!). Or how with its own towns it prefers so much to fire at even slightly damaged units, before attacking siege weapons (which deal much greater damage to towns).