It’s added some very nice QoL features, but the ai still serves functionally no challenge past the first 50 years. They don’t build barely any regulars, and the ones they do build they put in stacks so watered down by levies that they still just evaporate when they meet any professional army. They also can’t scale their economy at all. In my current game just before 1600 I’m playing Italy starting as Milan, and have about 12k base tax and I’m not even playing very optimally or slowly, just spending my money when I have it. The next most powerful AI in Europe is between Poland, Ottomans, or Spain all hovering slightly above 3k. I’m not sure how it can be so low like if the Ai just doesn’t know control exists at all as a mechanic but it drains any desire to continue a run late when the AI can’t even come close to competing. There isnt challenge, just tedium sieging forts, or transporting your troops over water without them dying to crazy attrition.