Saber Interactive has refuted claims that artificial intelligence was used to replace human writers on its upcoming game, Rideshare Stimulator. The studio stated that neither it nor developer UNIGINE have replaced any writers with AI for this or any other project, asserting that the game’s narrative was “written entirely by real people.”
The denial comes after Stella Sacco, a former writer for Saber Interactive, publicly alleged on social media platform Bluesky that she was replaced by ChatGPT midway through development of Rideshare Stimulator. Sacco also claimed that all passenger voices in the game were generated by AI. This is not the first time Sacco has spoken about AI's role in her work at Saber, having previously stated in December that an unnamed game she was working on also saw her replaced by ChatGPT.
According to Sacco, the decision to implement generative AI in Rideshare Stimulator originated from publisher Saber Interactive, not the developer UNIGINE. She further noted that Saber's public statement confirming the game's use of AI-generated text and voices for NPCs contradicted their denial of writer replacement.
Saber Interactive acknowledged that Rideshare Stimulator does utilize generative AI, stating it is used “by necessity” to support the game’s “infinite” number of NPC passengers and an experimental free-ride mode. The studio expressed a commitment to using AI tools to improve gameplay experiences and enhance NPC behavior. The company’s statement to PC Gamer indicated that AI would be incorporated to support the vast array of passengers the game intends to simulate.
Sacco expressed skepticism regarding Saber’s explanation, highlighting the discrepancy between the claim of no writer replacement and the admission of using AI-generated text and voices for the game's characters. The controversy surfaced shortly after the reveal of Rideshare Stimulator, a game described as similar to Crazy Taxi but with a focus on late-stage capitalism themes. The initial announcement also drew attention for a perceived jab at Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford.