PUP Hardest vs. Hard AI Comparison

Before commenting like everyone else on the cheater AI, I wanted to confirm what changed:
-(a) Hard stayed the same and Hardest, in addition to being a more aggressive AI than Hard, now gets to cheat on resources. Or…
-(b) Hard is the old Hardest and while the new Hardest is exactly the same AI as Hard but with cheating handicap?

I assume the answer is (a), but wanted to confirm.
Thanks.