That doesn't sound right. Humans and AIs play in the corners and on the sides first because that is where it is easier to make points. One of the traits of how neural nets learn Go is they start by learning to fight and then quickly realise that the corners are more important than the centre. AIs largely confirmed the usual human pattern.

AIs have changed all the details about what is considered an acceptable result in the corners.

Although AI do brutally outplay humans in the centre when the game gets there, no question. Normally after outplaying them everywhere else first.