I was never able to understand how to "git gud" at that game :( The AI always seemed to be able to outperform me on any front, and the only solution was to use ministries for everything, which turned the game into a battle between AIs
I'd definitely recommend playing against humans if you can, I never found the computers quite as fun to play against.
Which may have helped me avoid that issue, by the time I ever played against a computer they were pretty easy just because I'd played my friends a lot.
If there's any big advice I'd give though, it's just definitely focus on expanding your production and planets as quickly as you can near the beginning.
