Do binoculars help the AI in the slightest?

[Aculaud]

I know they use them randomly, which kinda slows them down, but do they actually help them see better and farther?

[Tomb]

honestly, I think the binoc's were mostly made as an effect
and to help the player/multiplayers - I don't think the AI get
any better sight outta these things  :-\

[RedKnyte]

They do actually, I once had the team leader an AI player while I'm under his rank. I had set-up a seek and destroy wpt and had him follow the wpt. He stopped half-way through the wpt and took out his binocs and scanned the place. I couldn't see the enemy myself but he radioed that he saw a man, enemy, 500m away. Now wouldn't that be cool..

[CareyBear]

Yes. They do. I've fiddled and tested, and squad members will report contacts at longer ranges if they are equipped with binoculars, and even longer ranges if you tell them to watch a particular direction. This is assuming they have a clear field of view. A sniper rifle seems to give detection at the longest range (in daylight). I have no numbers to back this up, but this is the way it seemed to be working in the game.
I think it depends more on skill than equipment, though.