Saber Interactive has added a detailed disclosure regarding its use of artificial intelligence to the Steam page for Rideshare Stimulator, days after a controversy erupted over claims that a former employee was laid off and replaced by AI. The studio initially did not mention AI's role in development when the game was announced in July.
On August 11, game developer Stella Sacco stated on Bluesky that Saber Interactive had "replaced me with ChatGPT midway through development." In response, Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch reportedly told This Week In Video Games that he "would have in retrospect have been happy to replace her with AI" and confirmed that AI was utilized during development. Karch indicated that Saber Interactive was awaiting a "finalized feature set" before updating the Steam page with a disclosure.
Representatives for Saber Interactive offered a more measured statement to Game File, denying that human writers were replaced by generative AI but acknowledging the technology's use in the game. By August 14, the Steam page had been updated with a comprehensive statement.
The updated disclosure on Steam now reads, "The main Campaign story, characters, and dialogue are written by a team of human writers. AI tools are used for voice generation and some localization." It further clarifies, "The optional Free Ride mode includes AI-generated passenger missions and localized dialogue. Free Ride mode is separate from the main Campaign and can be skipped by players who prefer to experience only human-written narrative content. The game also includes a mix of radio stations featuring human-made music and AI-generated music. Stations containing AI-generated music are clearly labeled as such in the game."
Sacco also revealed on Bluesky that her access to a development build of Rideshare Stimulator on Steam had been revoked. This action by Saber Interactive appears to be in response to the recent controversy, as Sacco was reportedly laid off years ago.
The situation surrounding Rideshare Stimulator serves as a notable instance of a game developer's delayed disclosure of generative AI use in its development process. The controversy highlights the importance of transparency with players and the ongoing discussion about AI's role in game creation.