I used to be annoyed and alarmed when, in the expansion phase of the game, the AI built cities in open areas inside my empire. I quickly found (as everyone probably has) that if I paid proper attention to my cultural improvements, I would eventually absorb those cities.
What I've recently been doing is filling in the gaps in the AI (turnabout) empires with my own cities. I then rush build the culture improvements (which is what the AI fails to do above) which either keeps the cities from getting absorbed and/or allows me to absorb AI cities within their own empire. I've used it to great effect in taking resources from AI cities. I just plop down next to the resource I want, do the culture thing, and within a few turns I've deprived the enemy and gained for myself.
This works particularly well when the AI countries war warring between themselves. I move settlers in and start gobbling up the newly vacated land. I rush build culuture improvements and start absorbing the cities the AI didn't raze. Again, the AI neglects it's culture improvements.
What I've recently been doing is filling in the gaps in the AI (turnabout) empires with my own cities. I then rush build the culture improvements (which is what the AI fails to do above) which either keeps the cities from getting absorbed and/or allows me to absorb AI cities within their own empire. I've used it to great effect in taking resources from AI cities. I just plop down next to the resource I want, do the culture thing, and within a few turns I've deprived the enemy and gained for myself.
This works particularly well when the AI countries war warring between themselves. I move settlers in and start gobbling up the newly vacated land. I rush build culuture improvements and start absorbing the cities the AI didn't raze. Again, the AI neglects it's culture improvements.