So far in this game there are a few things you can count on as always happening. 

1. The AI player will rush to subspace travel. 

2. The AI player will flood your sector with colony ships. 

How many of you have formed a goon squad of ships to stand guard at the terminus of a subspace lane to prevent this? There is no way a human player can produce the number of colony ships the AI player is producing and remain a productive and growing race. The only solution I've found so far is to declare war and guard your space as the AI player will continue to send unescorted colony ships into your sector for easy capture. Free slaves to work your Class I rocks are nice.