In my universe, humans are pretty good with AI and have some experience in space combat, as nations fought for resources.
Regarding the world, humanity remains in the solar system and is in space mostly for science and resources - humans in space stations, scientific colonies on mars/venus, small colony on the moon. Anything away from colonies and space stations is automated.
In terms of combat-relevant technology, it's close to current technology but with significantly better drives and power generation. Lasers are big and heavy in order to be effective at cutting through or overheating enemy spacecraft, other weaponry is mostly conventional and guided (either missiles or AI-controlled drones that close in until non-guided weaponry is effective). No shields, blasters and the likes, distances in combat tend to be on the high end.
There are crewed control ships close to the fights to give broad orders with only a few seconds of delay, but they'd mostly stay out of combat. However, for storytelling reasons I'd also like frigate-style missile artillery ships to be crewed. What viable reason could there be for them to require a human crew on board?
