IMHO, the AI starts with at least a handful of techs before you ever get them. In the beginning, the AI is able to crank out techs pretty fast. The only way to catch up is to set your research at between 10-15% of your total spending, set spending to 100% (yes, at a major income loss), and research techs that you will be able to trade. For me, these always include Weapons Theory, Phasers, Medical Theory, Industrial Theory, Advanced Diplomacy, Advanced Trade, and some others. The AI will eventually research all of these, but it takes them a while, and if you get there first you can then trade them for some of the other techs.
Of course, it all depends on your start. If any AI has a significant number of planets more than you, it may be difficult to impossible to catch up completely. But, throughout the game, if you keep researching techs the AI misses, you can always at least keep up tech wise by trading tech for tech.
Also, the minor civs research much slower, and on v1.05 can be traded with easily to catch up on tech and then make important trades with the AI for other tech or money. In fact, for me this minor civ exploiting is the secret to my success. Done right, and you can set spending to 100%, and leave it there for the whole game, living off income from tech sales.
Just some suggestions...
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