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This guide shows HOW-TO use the reward system in code. For conceptual understanding, see The ATLAS Reward System.

Using the Reward System

In Training (Offline RL)

The reward system integrates seamlessly with the GRPO trainer:
The trainer handles calling the reward system with batches of data during the RL loop. You don’t need to manage it manually.

For Ad-hoc Evaluation

Quick evaluation of teaching effectiveness:

In Continual Learning

In the SDK runtime, the same reward signals drive continual learning loops and help teams decide when to export traces for GRPO training. See the atlas-sdk documentation for details on wiring reward feedback into production orchestration.

Customizing Judges

Advanced Configuration: This section is for users who need custom evaluation criteria. Most users can use the default judges.

Modifying Existing Judges

Judge behavior is controlled by their prompts in src/atlas_core/reward/interpretation/judges.py. To change what AccuracyJudge prioritizes:

Adding a New Judge

Step 1: Create judge class (src/atlas_core/reward/interpretation/judges.py):
Step 2: Register in reward adapter (src/atlas_core/reward/interpretation/reward_adapter.py):
Step 3: Enable in config (reward_system/interpretation.yaml):

Performance & Monitoring

RewardBench V2 Results

The ensemble-and-escalation architecture achieves 93.7% overall accuracy, significantly outperforming individual models:
  • Component model (gemini-2.5-flash): 77.7% on its own
  • System performance: 93.7% (+16 points)
The architecture creates a result greater than the sum of its parts.
ATLAS Reward System Leaderboard

Category Breakdown

Performance by Category
See the complete Reward System Technical Report for full analysis.

Monitoring Rewards During Training

The training logs include reward system outputs:
Monitor these to:
  • Spot prompt regressions (dropping helpfulness scores)
  • Identify misconfigured thresholds (escalation rate too high/low)
  • Validate teaching improvements (rising scores over time)

Next Steps

Reward System Concepts

Understand the two-tier evaluation architecture

GRPO Training

Use the reward system to train teacher models

SDK Runtime

See how rewards flow through the production loop

Training Configuration

Configure reward system parameters

References