Comparative Evaluation of Large and Small Language Models for Retail Product Location Assistance: A Context-Aware Shopping Assistant System

Anosike, Ijeoma Maryrose (2025) Comparative Evaluation of Large and Small Language Models for Retail Product Location Assistance: A Context-Aware Shopping Assistant System. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

This research compares the performance of large and small language models in helping customers find products inside retail stores. A smart shopping assistant system called Aisley was developed to support both voice and text input and provide directional guidance using a compass and map. The assistant was integrated with four models: GPT-4, Mistral-7B (cloud and local), and Phi-3 (local). These models were tested on 585 product queries selected from a realistic database of 750 items. A total of 2,340 evaluations were conducted, and each model was assessed for its accuracy, language quality, and speed. The results showed that while GPT-4 had the highest scores, smaller models like Mistral-7B were almost as accurate and much more cost-effective. This suggests that retailers can consider using smaller models without significantly affecting performance. The project also shows how natural language models can help customers navigate physical stores, improving convenience while offering a sustainable and scalable AI solution.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Supervisors:	Name Email Simiscuka, Anderson UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords:	GPT-4; Phi-3; Mistral-7B; SLM; LLM; retail chatbot; product navigation
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology > Methods of research. Technique. Experimental biology > Data processing. Bioinformatics > Artificial intelligence Q Science > Q Science (General) > Self-organizing systems. Conscious automata > Artificial intelligence P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics > Computational linguistics. Natural language processing H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Customer Service H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Specific Industries > Retail Industry
Divisions:	School of Computing > Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence for Business
Depositing User:	Ciara O'Brien
Date Deposited:	24 Aug 2026 09:56
Last Modified:	24 Aug 2026 09:56
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/9584

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