In a sharp dispute over the role of generative AI in game development, Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch has denied allegations that the company replaced human writers with ChatGPT for the upcoming game “Rideshare Stimulator.”
The Allegations from the Lead Writer
The controversy erupted after former lead writer Stella Sacco claimed on social media that Saber “replaced me with ChatGPT” midway through the project's development. Sacco further alleged that passenger voices in the game were also AI-generated, suggesting that the company is either hiding its use of the technology or has pivoted its development strategy without public disclosure on platforms like Steam.
Saber’s Defense and the “Experimental Mode”
Responding to the claims, Karch stated that the game’s story was “written entirely by real people.” However, he admitted that an “experimental, free-ride mode” utilizes AI by necessity because the number of passengers in that mode is infinite. Karch emphasized Saber’s long history of using AI tools to enhance NPC behavior since 2001 and maintained that none of the company’s 3,000+ employees have reason to fear being replaced by automation.
A Dispute Over Labor and Transparency
Sacco countered Karch’s statement, calling it “ridiculous” to claim that labor is protected while simultaneously admitting that work was handed over to computers. “If rides I wrote are in there, and also rides AI wrote... then AI was still used, and I was still replaced,” she told The Verge. The situation highlights the growing tension in the gaming industry regarding the transparency of AI integration and its impact on creative professionals.
