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My problem with the OpenAI models (GPT5.2 in particular) recently is an extreme aversion to doing more than the smallest step in a task before asking for using

My problem with the OpenAI models (GPT5.2 in particular) recently is an extreme aversion to doing more than the smallest step in a task before asking for using input. Even if I explicitly instruct it to continue without input until the task is complete, it ignores the instruction. I cannot imagine GPT5.2 working on a task for more than 2 minutes, let alone 4 hours. I’m curious if you’ve run into this and figured out a way around it?

BoiledCabbage 10mo ago
What agent framework are you using? It can differ from one to the next on the same model.
- tacitusarc 10mo ago
  I am using it in Zed.
simonw 10mo ago
I've not had that problem at all with GPT-5.2 running in Codex CLI. I use prompts like this: Build a pure JavaScript library (no dependencies) for encoding and decoding this binary format. Start by looking at how the lite3-python library works - the JavaScript one should have the same API and probably the same code design too. Build the JS one in lite3-javascript - it should be a single JavaScript module which works in both Node.js and in the browser. There should be a test script that runs with Node.js which runs against the files in the lite3-python/format_suite folder. Write the test script first, run it and watch it fail, then build the JavaScript library and keep running the tests until they pass.
- tacitusarc 10mo ago
  I have not tried it in Codex CLI, I’ll give that a shot and see if it changes things.
  - tacitusarc 10mo ago
    It did make a noticeable difference
macrolime 10mo ago
I find that surprising. GPT 5.2 is the model I've had working the longest. It frequently works more than 4 hours nonstop, while earlier models would stop to ask if they should continue every 10 minutes. 5.1 and earlier ignores it if I ask it to continue until a task is done, but 5.2 will usually finish it.

BoiledCabbage 10mo ago

What agent framework are you using? It can differ from one to the next on the same model.

tacitusarc 10mo ago
I am using it in Zed.

simonw 10mo ago

I've not had that problem at all with GPT-5.2 running in Codex CLI. I use prompts like this: Build a pure JavaScript library (no dependencies) for encoding and decoding this binary format. Start by looking at how the lite3-python library works - the JavaScript one should have the same API and probably the same code design too. Build the JS one in lite3-javascript - it should be a single JavaScript module which works in both Node.js and in the browser. There should be a test script that runs with Node.js which runs against the files in the lite3-python/format_suite folder. Write the test script first, run it and watch it fail, then build the JavaScript library and keep running the tests until they pass.

tacitusarc 10mo ago
I have not tried it in Codex CLI, I’ll give that a shot and see if it changes things.
- tacitusarc 10mo ago
  It did make a noticeable difference

macrolime 10mo ago

I find that surprising. GPT 5.2 is the model I've had working the longest. It frequently works more than 4 hours nonstop, while earlier models would stop to ask if they should continue every 10 minutes. 5.1 and earlier ignores it if I ask it to continue until a task is done, but 5.2 will usually finish it.