you do not really need ai cores even for combat in the first system.
Recommended sequence
- find pirate outpost
- get weapons license
- get NOT up by smuggling or bounties (start with lvl 1 or two)
- buy best gear at Krogneath at Pirate base (NOT 10/20/30 will get you better levels)
- once you did that you can go for level 3 bounties, there you will find tons of AI cores as loot
- find and have Vee join your crew (see walthrough). Then swarm events unlock, giving lots of cores as well
From the walk through ...
Once you either (a) craft a your first bot with IQ > 140, (note: store it explicitly in a store dot) or (b) send you first bot of any kind to the arcade, BB-2 informs you that with illegal bots of high IQ more money can be made and recommends to talk to Nimhe about it. This triggers the Pirate Quest.