imo the content.dll has the settings for the ai, since freelancer.ini has an entry:

DLL = Content.dll, AISandbox, BELOW_NORMAL

...so if you want, you can change this to NORMAL or HIGHEST (dunno if there are other settings like HIGH, try out).

Another way to improve the ai is to give it better shields (this idea is actually not from me but from someone else on this forum). You have to edit /DATA/EQUIPMENTS/st_equip.ini.
Change all npc shields. Give them a refresh rate >1 or just more capacity, like you want.

Hey thanks, maybe that'll work, yea i already changed shields so they recharge like ours do, but i don't want to make ai's cheat if i can help it, so i'm trying to find a way to edit their "brains" lol. Thanks for the heads up i'll try it out.

has anyone tried changing the AI sandbox setting in MP?

Those settings most likey determine threading priority.

Which means if you set one too high you might end up with the game freezing.

Not sure if this is relevant to this post, but I think its an AI issue.

Does anyone know how to modify it so enemy ships don't all immediately gang up on you when you fly into a system where they are fighting someone else? Nothing like having 5+ ships decide they'd rather beat on me than fight off the system patrol ships.