Conclusion and Final Model Choice
The evaluation clearly demonstrates that quantization is not a lossless process. Lower-bit quantizations (Q4_0, Q3_K_S, Q2_K) can catastrophically degrade model safety and reliability, producing dangerously incorrect information.
- Unsafe Models:
Q4_0,Q3_K_S, andQ2_Kare unsafe and must never be deployed in a real-world application. - Viable Models:
Q3_K_MandQ3_K_Loffer a strong balance of safety and efficiency, making them suitable for environments with limited resources. - Gold Standard:
Q4_K_Mprovides the most comprehensive and safest response.
For this project, where user safety in an emergency is the absolute highest priority, we selected the Q4_K_M model as our final production choice. The marginal increase in file size is a small price to pay for the significant improvement in the detail, clarity, and trustworthiness of its guidance. Our fine-tuning and evaluation pipeline successfully produced a model that is demonstrably more reliable and fit for the critical purpose of emergency assistance.