Saber Interactive, the developer also known for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, has refuted claims that it replaced a human writer with ChatGPT on its upcoming game, Rideshare Stimulator. However, the company acknowledged that AI is being used in the project out of necessity.
The controversy arose when Stella Sacco, a former writer on Rideshare Stimulator, alleged on social media that she was replaced by ChatGPT during development at studio Unigine. Sacco shared a screenshot of a December 2023 post stating she was removed from the project to utilize AI for writing, including planned live updates.
Saber Interactive has issued a statement denying that any writers were replaced by AI for Rideshare Stimulator or any other game. The company stated that its writing staff has tripled since 2023 and that the game's story was written entirely by human employees. Saber cited an experimental free-ride mode in Rideshare Stimulator as the reason for AI's incorporation, explaining that the mode features an "infinite" number of passengers, making AI usage a necessity for generating characters and behaviors.
“We are firm believers in using AI tools to improve or enhance gameplay experiences and improve NPC behaviour as we have done since Saber was founded in 2001,” Saber said in its statement to PC Gamer. “As the industry has continued to contract, Saber continues to hire. None of our 3,000+ employees have to worry about being replaced by AI.”
Sacco, however, directly blamed Saber CEO Matt Karch for the decision to remove her from the project in favor of ChatGPT for publicity. She told PC Gamer that while plans might have changed, her specific role was given to AI because Karch saw it as a marketing opportunity.
Meanwhile, the Steam forum for Rideshare Stimulator has seen numerous complaints from users regarding the alleged use of AI without disclosure. Some commenters have expressed a desire for transparency from the developers and publishers, with some stating they would not purchase games that utilize generative AI or that are not transparent about their development processes. Steam's rules mandate AI disclaimers for games on its platform, and it remains to be seen if Rideshare Stimulator will comply.
Rideshare Stimulator is also known for its reveal trailer, which contained several pointed jokes directed at Borderlands boss Randy Pitchford, a sentiment echoed by Saber Interactive CEO Matt Karch.