---
title: Humans and AI Join Forces
date: 2025-10-01T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/humans-and-ai-join-forces"
section: Articles
---
# Humans and AI Join Forces

*October 1, 2025* — by [Zsana Hoskins M.Jour. ’25](/author/zsana-hoskins-m-jour-25)


> UMD Researchers Revamp Quizbowl Competition to Gauge Trust and Collaboration Between People and Machines

*AI 1920x1080 — Computer science Professor Jordan Boyd-Graber has long been active in developing AI-infused question and answering systems. Several of his former graduate students—Jo Shoemaker Ph.D. ’20, Denis Peskov Ph.D. ’18 and Michelle Yuan Ph.D. ’22—are shown here testing an earlier model of his QANTA technology. (Photo by John T. Consoli)*

Since 2012, self-described [trivia nerd Jordan Boyd-Graber](https://today.umd.edu/what-research-inspired-route-jeopardy-b2cfa4ae-4958-4b02-a574-e4b0517a464c) has pitted an artificial intelligence (AI) system he developed against humans in a series of quizbowl-style competitions. In more than a dozen matches, his AI technology has held the edge, beating the likes of “Jeopardy!” uber-champion (and now host) Ken Jennings as well as a group of national quizbowl winners.

These victories by the system called [QANTA](https://sites.google.com/view/qanta/home) weren’t about bragging rights, said Boyd-Graber, a professor of computer science working in the University of Maryland’s Computational Linguistics and Information Processing (CLIP) Laboratory. Instead, the goal was to improve the evaluation of AI-infused systems by comparing how language models—which understand everyday language and respond with unscripted answers—and human trivia experts each answer a range of tough questions.

Now Boyd-Graber and several students in the CLIP Lab have shifted the focus of these competitions so that humans and computers are collaborating instead of facing off. The endgame? To test cooperation, trust and confidence between humans and machines by determining when the former can rely on the latter to come up with the right answer—and when humans should take the reins.

“One of the big things that we want to do in our research is not just replace humans with computers, but instead try to build systems where humans and computers can work together effectively,” said Boyd-Graber, who is active in the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland ([AIM](https://aim.umd.edu/)). “The big challenge here is being able for the computer to provide the correct information to the human that is going to be most valuable to them.”


*Alex Trebek and  Jordan Boyd-Graber on "Jeopardy!" set — Boyd-Graber—a self-described “trivia nerd”—is shown here with the late Alex Trebek, host of “Jeopardy!” Boyd-Graber competed on the show in 2018. (Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment)*



**Sidebar note:**

**AI at Maryland**  
The University of Maryland is shaping the future of artificial intelligence by forging solutions to the world’s most pressing issues through collaborative research, training the leaders of an AI-infused workforce and applying AI to strengthen our economy and communities.  
  
Read [more](https://today.umd.edu/topic/artificial-intelligence) about how UMD embraces AI’s potential for the public good—without losing sight of the human values that power it.





**Topics:** [Research](https://today.umd.edu/tags/research)


**Tags:** [Artificial Intelligence](https://today.umd.edu/topic/artificial-intelligence), [Computer Science](https://today.umd.edu/topic/computer-science), [Research](https://today.umd.edu/topic/research)


**Units:** [College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-computer-mathematical-and-natural-sciences), [University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies](https://today.umd.edu/topic/university-of-maryland-institute-for-advanced-computer-studies)