Saber Interactive has refuted claims that artificial intelligence replaced a writer on its upcoming driving game, "Rideshare Stimulator." Former lead writer Stella Sacco alleged on social media that she was replaced by ChatGPT midway through development and that passenger voices were also AI-generated. However, Saber CEO Matthew Karch, in a statement to PC Gamer, denied these allegations.
"Neither Saber nor Unigine have replaced any writers with AI for Rideshare or any other game," the studio stated. Saber added that its writing staff has tripled since 2023 and that the game's story was "written entirely by real people." The company did acknowledge that an experimental free-ride mode will incorporate AI due to the potentially infinite number of passengers. "We are firm believers in using AI tools to improve or enhance gameplay experiences and improve NPC behavior as we have done since Saber was founded in 2001," the statement read.
Sacco, who worked at Saber Interactive as a lead writer from July 2023 to July 2024, shared screenshots of past social media posts where she mentioned being replaced on a game by ChatGPT. She stated that higher-ups pushed for AI integration, believing it would serve as "great marketing" because "gamers love new tech." She maintains that her role was taken over by ChatGPT for writing game text and planned live updates.
The "Rideshare Stimulator" Steam page notes that "each ride presents players with unique and unpredictable passenger stories, ensuring a diverse and engaging gameplay experience." This description, Saber suggests, aligns with the AI integration for the free-ride mode, where a vast number of passenger interactions are anticipated. The game's developer, Unigine, was also mentioned by Saber as being involved, with Sacco clarifying she had no issues with Unigine itself.
Despite Saber's confirmations regarding AI use, "Rideshare Stimulator" currently lacks an explicit AI disclosure on its Steam page. Saber Interactive maintains its commitment to hiring, stating that its staff has grown to over 3000 employees, none of whom are at risk of being replaced by AI.