Benchmarking
The process of comparing AI system performance against standard metrics or other systems to assess effectiveness.
Definition
Systematic evaluation of models against open-source baselines, peer solutions, or industry standards—using shared datasets and metrics—to contextualize performance. Benchmarking informs procurement, highlights gaps, and drives innovation. Regular re-benchmarking ensures that models keep pace with the state of the art and evolving business requirements.
Real-World Example
A logistics company evaluates three third-party route-optimization APIs by benchmarking them on a standardized dataset of delivery addresses. They compare total distance, computation time, and deviation from optimal solutions, then select the provider that best balances speed and accuracy for their fleet.
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