Ship model changes with the discipline of software releases.
1. Task datasets
Use representative documents with expected labels and difficult negatives. Keep a held-out set and report per-class failures so a frequent class does not dominate the score.
2. Artifact compatibility
Test tokenizer, prompt format and runtime compatibility for each model version. A new artifact may load successfully yet interpret the same prompt differently.
3. Staged activation
Gate activation on integrity and smoke tests, then monitor quality and crash signals. Keep rollback possible without forcing users to redownload the entire app.
Worked scenario
An updated tokenizer changes classification behavior while the runtime still loads. A fixed regression set catches the behavioral change.
Apply it
Write a model release checklist and simulate reverting to the previous verified artifact.
Check your understanding
You can roll back a model independently from ordinary user documents. Explain the decision and show evidence from your implementation or design. If you cannot demonstrate it yet, revisit the relevant section before continuing.