Saber Denies Replacing Rideshare Writer With ChatGPT

Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch has publicly denied allegations that the company replaced a lead writer with ChatGPT during the development of the upcoming game Rideshare Stimulator. The dispute arose after Stella Sacco, the former lead writer on the project, claimed on social media that she was laid off midway through development in December 2023 and replaced by OpenAI's chatbot. Sacco also alleged that the voices of the passengers in the game were generated using artificial intelligence.

In response, Karch asserted that neither Saber nor developer Unigine have replaced any writers with AI tools. According to Karch, the narrative elements of the driving simulation game were written entirely by human creators. However, he did acknowledge that the title features an experimental, free-ride mode that incorporates generative AI by necessity to handle an infinite number of potential passengers. Karch defended the technology, stating that Saber has used AI to enhance gameplay and non-player character behavior since the company was founded in 2001.

Sacco rejected Karch's explanation, arguing that the company is trying to have it both ways by claiming human authorship while admitting to using automated text generation. She maintained that if her written rides are mixed with AI-generated content, her labor was still displaced by technology. The game's current listing on the Steam platform does not contain any disclosures regarding the use of generative AI, despite the apparent inclusion of AI-generated writing and audio in its promotional teaser trailer.

The clash underscores the growing friction between game studios and creative professionals over the integration of automation. While Karch emphasized that none of Saber's more than 3000 employees need to worry about being replaced by algorithms, the incident highlights the sensitive nature of labor displacement in an industry undergoing significant contraction.