Okay, so my skill level with this game has reached "hard" mode with 8 competitors. The way I usually play is I try to build a strong military (ships) to be an intimidating force, this way I can put more pressure and negotiate easier. I usually don't attack other factions unless they 1st wage war on me, then that faction becomes my target the entire game. Now, I notice that the AI also or at least one of the factions or two, build a strong military also to counteract me. So I'm usually left with going for a science or wonder victory instead of conquest in the late game, but the problem is the AI doesn't do the same. 

The AI gets tricked all the time, it was smart enough to create an alliance so that it would be harder for me to win by conquest. But when I decided that conquest was not relevent anymore I went for a science victory near the end game and I won in a few turns. But why didn't the AI forsee my science victory? I never had a notification that 1 of the factions is close to a science victory? This maybe because im getting too good for "hard" mode, and maybe I should either play on a bigger map or increase difficulty.  Any thoughts?