Sometimes they do. From Gemini 3, some AppleScript:
if something then
if something then
if something then
stuff
end if
end if
</if>
Each time I asked Gemini 3 to fix the syntax error, it acknowledged it had screwed up the basic syntax, and then emitted a new version of the code. With another XML closing tag somewhere. Then it was embarrassed, apologetic, etc. to see it had made the same mistake repeatedly. Eventually it output several attempts per turn as it kept checking its own work in-turn, seeing that it had made the same kind of mistake and tried again, this time definitely fixing it, proudly and confidently presenting me with the correct, final, definitive version. With another 'end if' or 'end tell' replaced by an XML closing tag that it couldn't see until the next turn.
Sometimes they do. From Gemini 3, some AppleScript:
Each time I asked Gemini 3 to fix the syntax error, it acknowledged it had screwed up the basic syntax, and then emitted a new version of the code. With another XML closing tag somewhere. Then it was embarrassed, apologetic, etc. to see it had made the same mistake repeatedly. Eventually it output several attempts per turn as it kept checking its own work in-turn, seeing that it had made the same kind of mistake and tried again, this time definitely fixing it, proudly and confidently presenting me with the correct, final, definitive version. With another 'end if' or 'end tell' replaced by an XML closing tag that it couldn't see until the next turn.After about 10 turns the problem went away.