[bryondowd]

Step 2.5 would be to make the AI figure out how to evade or minimize the effect of or ability to initiate opponents' offensive moves. That would be the most interesting bit to me. Would be neat to see an AI intentionally stay in 2nd place with an item at the ready until the home stretch, to avoid being blue-shelled.

[bisby]

Intentionally stay in second, unless it has reason to believe that it can stay in 1st place, even after getting blue-shelled.

But yes. point being, self driving is a feat of it's own, competing with opponents is a whole different ballgame with it's own set of challenges.