I've found that it's rather difficult to give a province to other nations. I've still experienced many DOW's from neighboring nations, but I expect it since I'm france and only half of my border cities have a garrison.

I think this AI is more passive; in 1706 I'm the only one who's captured more than a handful of provinces. I've also noticed that the game failed to give me several announcements of other random nations going to war(i.e. Prussia, Austria, ottomans)

The pirates in the caribbean are weaker now, I cleared out the coasts of Africa to get ivory easily because they were guarding it with two damaged galleons and a sloop or two. The AI still seems reluctant to send ships there, but I'm hoping I'm just not the only one low on cash.

The other nations are certainly more careful about garrisoning towns, and have not done too much raiding. As France I invaded the west half of modern-day germany, but Spain still owns Flanders and the Netherlands. They don't seem to want to help me fight against Prussia or all the other mini-Germans states, though, I'm somewhat disappointed about that.