Catalyst AI is now a cludge.
Initially AI's remit was a method of enabling the various texture optimisations that are capable in RV350+; the default mode just uses the standard texture opmisations, the high mode is supposed to do some texture frequency analysis on the fly and pick optimal filering modes to improve performance without, supposedly, sacrificing IQ too much (hence the "AI" in the name). Turn it off entirely and all texture optimisations are gone.
That is what Cat AI is supposed to do, however ATI also decided to attach the activation for any app specific fix/optimisation to it - IMO this is a way of making sure that people bench with Cat AI on ("Why doesn't this app work?" "Oh, turn Cat AI on and it will (and, indicidentally the texture optimisations will be present and performance goes up)"), however what was a secondary element to Cat AI has now sort of become the primary element to it.