In general llms are weak with spatial reasoning. This seems to be an unsolved problem. Probably because human language is generally imprecise spatially and humans think about spatial problems in visual terms. I wonder if having an llm make a 3d design in a format an image model could check would result in a better outcome?

I think that this is an unsolved problem in the same way that mangled fingers in image generation was an unsolved problem.

Through at least Opus 4, LLMs were practically useless for authoring any sort of coherent procedural closed-curve geometry (I know this with strong confidence because of the little animated guys at https://letterspractice.com).

Opus 5.5 can bang it all out. Possibly a deliberate RL sort of thing or maybe another surprise emergent capability.

Is it that LLMs are weak with spatial reasoning (and memory) or is it that we are unusually good at it?

When I need to use a program I seldomly use I'm far more likely to remember where I need to click to open it than the word I need to search for to open it.