So.... AI Aircraft

[Archon_Wing]

I thought they fixed the AI on this matter, but I have not seen any AI plane usage lately. It showed up once a while back and then nope....

 

[Tech Osen]

I've had them used reasonably well against me on occasion. I think the new issue is the resource requirement. It doesn't help if they upgrade their light cavalry to helicopters instead.

 

[MrRadar]

To be fair, I stopped using them myself a long while ago. The furthest I'd go is to build an airport or two for the eurekas, and that not very often, but to get the planes themselves is already too much of a distraction. They're hardly needed. Usually, by the time they come, all essential warring is long done, diplomacy is under control and you're just trying to get to the victory with as little unnecessary inputs as possible. And planes are very unnecessary at the current state of the game.
Recently I saw an AI moving an AA gun. I was so flabbergasted I even forgot to take a screenshot as a proof

 

[Deggial]

To be fair, I stopped using them myself a long while ago. The furthest I'd go is to build an airport or two for the eurekas, and that not very often, but to get the planes themselves is already too much of a distraction. They're hardly needed. Usually, by the time they come, all essential warring is long done, diplomacy is under control and you're just trying to get to the victory with as little unnecessary inputs as possible. And planes are very unnecessary at the current state of the game.
Recently I saw an AI moving an AA gun. I was so flabbergasted I even forgot to take a screenshot as a proof

This is indeed the (sad) proof, that something goes terribly wrong.
It rightfully implies, that ...
a) wars that late in the game do not exist anymore (unless provoked by the player in an attempt for conquest victory).
b) If there is a war nevertheless, air supperiority is never challenged by the AI and therefore fighters and AA not needed by the player. (I disagree that bombers are useless, but they are indeed not exactly needed. They are handy, though, imo.)

Both is quite sad.

If I had a say, I would allow plains (at least the two early fighters) to be built in city centers just like other units. They would be built slower and wouldn't enjoy XP benefits. But they would be built more often by the AI and could finally have an impact on modern warfare. As they should.

I actually have no idea how decent the airplane AI is nowadays (I guess not very bright), because I rarely see air units at all.