I don't mind this very much tbh. Although I do wish I can return the favor to the AI.
If i get asked this question....
1) Is they our friend? Yes? Say I'm passing thru.
2) If no, Is he strong and am I strong enuff? If No Say I am passing thru.
3) Did he call me his favorite pet city state? If no, Say I am passing thru.
4) If he did call me a favorite pet city state, forward settled to my borders and complained about me settling near him, has he/she been a douchebag towards me, and I'm strong enough to do something about it Then I will declare war immediately even when I didn't plan to go to the war against him/her, penalties be damned. I dun care, i got a lesson to teach.
When a war start that way I tend to go on a pillaging spree and enjoy the mad goldz from pillages and capture any worker/settler I can while squashing any military unit I can find in the fields to so that I can declare that mah military prowess is unmatched. I rarely catch me a city or two that way but eh, its fun, and the AI learns to not ask me that question again.
Cuz I take the question as hostile action that the AI was secretly my enemy for the whole time but it's just that the AI have never came out of the closet yet to tell me what he truly thinks of me yet.
I like hosting military parades in opposing civs.
Actually I think I love it when the AI ask me this question cuz it allows a skirmish to occur when nothing would've happened.
Alot of my unintended conquests occur with that question.
Cuz if I am at war against some other country that's faraway but I decide that distance won't protect him from me. And send military to his territory which will pass by other people's territory. To be honest, I think the AIs that secretly hate me will ask that question. Then a war happens there. That distant foe will just have to sit on his butt and suck on his thumb as I deal with this insolent neighbor. After whatever is done, I move on and pummel that distant foe.