Here is my problem: How far along are we with AI? Wouldn't a civilization, that is thousands of years advanced to us, just send AI drones?
I do know that when a technically superior civilization runs into a lesser civilization, that lesser civilization often suffers or is eliminated.
Maybe what is being seen is AI drones, or maybe they are using quatum physics principles and the actual aliens are many light years away. Kind of like producing a hologram. Maybe its demons and angels, who knows.