AI is a complex field as you know doubt are aware by now....
Could you please clarify your question a little better..
The enemies you speak of are instanced objects of the same entity yes?
If you want complex AI behaviours you often need to create variables that control or influence the behaviour first in some way
like a cascading flow chart..
for example...having only one enemy attack if its close to the player is suitable for some games but not others or for other enemy types
like a hive mind enemy
to create specific actions you need to discuss what specific actions you wish to work on ...
AI is a vast field of interconnected functions that affect and attribute to events in real time...
its rarely as simple as adding a singular feature
its about flowchart conditions that lead up to other events
An Example AI flowchart would be
Has Enemy detected player? yes/no
if it did detect the player ..how did it detect player (method)
if enemy has detected player what should it do next
(pursue player or flee or some other action?)(Deterministic function)
once deterministic function is calculated ( which can be done on a sliding table or scale based on values affected elsewhere)
proceed with action every few seconds rather than every tick
( this allows realistic adjustment of actions that the player could respond to)
So basically its a complex series of feedback mechanisms that you create
idle default mode-> alert mode-> attack mode-> return to default mode or continue attack mode-> defeat modes must be catered for also
building ai is probably the most advanced work you will ever do for a game...but try to break it down into understandably sub routines or feedback loops to make sense of it
Using the above example
you may restrict only enemy instances that are within a certain "distance" to the player by adding a subroutine that does something like
CONDITIONS-->
FOR EACH (enemy)
SYSTEM--> compare two variables--> player.x, player.y, enemy.x,enemy.y is less than 100 pixels
ACTION--> Enemy(Find PATH to Player.x,player.y)
understanding the basics of flow charts and actions will help you write better AI routines...
but they are no different than any other programming when you get down to it
try to think of it like a PARTICLE system
you set the basic characteristics up but each entity has random or specific feedback affected rules that determine its behaviour
you must as a programmer allow for each possible feedback behaviour other wise your AI will get stuck in loops and be unable to change its own behaviour..
if you posted your AI routines I could go over it for you if you like..