Would like to see option to always have preview on. Also arrow controls for incremental measurement changes (as in transform) . These are available in many other parts of the interface.

This would speed up the process of creating an offset path.

Make the Align Objects functionality more closely resemble After Effects insofar as when you select 1element Align To Selection automatically sets to Composition and when two or more elements are selected Align To Selection is automatically selected. This 'Align Auto-selection' could be a preference.

If this isn't possible or sensible at least make the two options (Selection and Composition) both visible or bigger and not in a dropdown.

I know something like this is already is being done.
Still, make this vote count.

Make AI locate duplicates (and make it part of 'Select same...' commands set.
Make it search for variances in this duplicates with adjustable tolerance level with different options (path, color, size).
Make an option to convert this duplicates to symbols, defining leading almost-duplicate as a master one.