Best practices for evaluating OpenAI models for smart search (research approach)

Hello everyone,

I’m currently conducting a proof of concept research to evaluate OpenAI models for a Smart Search feature in an event-matching platform.

The feature extracts structured entities (such as artist type, city, genre, and budget) from natural language user queries.
My goal is to compare different OpenAI models in a methodical and reproducible way, focusing on:

  • Cost per request

  • Latency / response time

  • Output quality (correct entities, consistent and valid JSON)

I already plan to test multiple realistic user scenarios (simple queries, incomplete input, spelling mistakes, etc.), but I want to make sure the research setup itself is solid.

My questions are:

  • What is a good methodical approach to comparing OpenAI models for this type of task?

  • Which metrics or evaluation techniques are most useful for entity-extraction / smart search use cases?

  • How do you ensure results are fair, repeatable, and not prompt-biased?

  • Are there common pitfalls to avoid when benchmarking LLMs for production use?

Any advice, frameworks, or references would really help improve the quality of my research.

Thanks in advance!

What you are asking is a very tall order.

Here is one reference: