I totally agree. After I came back from some inactivity I got literally reckt. NPCs are way too good imho. Especially in CZ: if you get targeted by 2 or 3 ships you almost have no time to escape.
I'm anything but an accomplished pilot -- and the AI does not present that much of a problem to me. Right now, my combat rank is Master, and I am grazing in RES (preferably hazardous or high). So far, I've been destroyed exactly once, and that was my own fault (attempting to flee from an Elite FAS with almost no shields . . . I was insta-killed with PA shots, at least I think that was it).
I'm not a hardcore gamer, my reflexes suck, and yet I manage to more than hold my own. The trick is to choose engagements wisely. In CZs, stick to the edge, and make sure there are lots of friendlies. You also must watch out for the enemy's skill level. Deadly and Elite have modded items on board, making them somewhat tougher.
Forgive me if I appear to be boasting (I am not; matter of fact, I am convinced 90% of the commanders here would kick my butt so hard I'd be wearing it around my neck afterwards), but I find the AI not that much of a challenge -- it all depends on the equipment, of course (Fer-de-Lance, A-rated, 5 heavy-duty shield boosters, reinforced shield (5 Bi-Weave), 4 Class 2 pulse lasers (efficient, with some side effects), one huge MC (all weapons gimballed, with engineering upgrades to other equipment, as well, but mostly level 3 or level 1).