Saber Interactive has now posted an artificial‑intelligence disclaimer on the Steam store page for its upcoming title, Rideshare Simulator, after a wave of criticism surrounding claims that the company had dismissed a writer in favor of AI‑generated text. The notice, which appears prominently on the game’s listing, acknowledges the use of AI tools in certain aspects of development and promises further updates once the feature set is finalized. The controversy began when former staff member Stella Sacco, who was employed by Saber from July 2023 until July 2024, alleged that she was removed from the Rideshare project midway through its creation and that her responsibilities were subsequently taken over by ChatGPT.
Sacco also hinted at additional, undisclosed applications of AI throughout the game's development cycle. Her statements quickly spread across industry forums and social media, prompting a public response from Saber’s chief executive officer, Matt Karch. In his initial reply, Karch claimed that Sacco had been "replaced by someone more talented and terminated for a variety of reasons a few months later," adding that, in hindsight, he "would have been happy to replace her with AI." He further suggested that the decision to employ artificial‑intelligence technologies was a strategic move intended to benefit consumers, especially given that Rideshare Simulator is slated to be a lower‑priced offering.
"We have already said we are using AI for certain parts of the game and will update the Steam page once we have finalised the feature set," Karch told the podcast This Week In Videogames. The CEO’s remarks sparked a heated debate about the ethics of substituting human writers with machine‑generated content, especially in a creative medium like video games. Critics argued that dismissing a human author in favor of a language model could undermine the artistic integrity of the project and set a concerning precedent for the industry. Supporters, however, pointed out that AI can accelerate certain production tasks, reduce costs, and allow developers to focus on higher‑level design decisions.
Amid the backlash, Sacco posted a message on the social network BlueSky over the weekend, stating that Karch had "apologised unreservedly for the awful way he spoke about me in the press." She wrote, "I've been firm from the beginning that I was telling the truth; I think we can all now agree that it's been borne out. Matt expressed a desire to make it right with me; at this time I don't really know what that looks like for me, and I'll have to take some time to sit with it, but I do at least accept his apology." Karch later issued a separate public statement on LinkedIn, acknowledging his own emotional reaction to the unfolding situation. "I unfortunately got triggered by certain later comments (for reasons I won't get into) and shot first and thought second about how to respond," he wrote. "It happens and I am a human being.
I have done what I can to rectify." The added AI disclaimer on Steam now reads in full: "This update follows comments from Saber CEO Matt Karch regarding writer Stella Sacco, who worked at Saber from July 2023 to July 2024, and stated she was removed from Rideshare midway through development and replaced with ChatGPT, while alleging other then‑unannounced use of AI in the game's development. In response, Karch stated that Sacco was 'replaced by someone more talented and terminated for a variety of reasons a few months later,' and added that 'in retrospect I would have been happy to replace her with AI.'" Beyond the immediate dispute, the incident shines a light on a broader industry trend: the increasing integration of AI tools into game development pipelines. From procedural content generation to narrative assistance, studios are experimenting with machine learning models to streamline workflows. Yet the ethical considerations remain unresolved.
When AI is used to generate dialogue, story arcs, or marketing copy, questions arise about authorship, compensation, and the value placed on human creativity. For developers, the key challenge is to strike a balance between leveraging AI's efficiency and preserving the unique voice that human writers bring to a project. Transparency with players and the public is becoming essential, as consumers are increasingly interested in how their games are made. By publishing a clear disclaimer, Saber Interactive is attempting to address these concerns head‑on, though the effectiveness of that approach will depend on how consistently the company follows through on its promises.
In the weeks ahead, Saber has indicated that it will refine the AI features used in Rideshare Simulator and provide further updates on the Steam page. Whether the game will benefit from the added technology or suffer from the controversy remains to be seen. Meanwhile, the dialogue sparked by Sacco's allegations continues to resonate across the gaming community, prompting other studios to examine their own AI policies and consider how best to communicate them to both employees and audiences. Overall, the episode underscores the delicate interplay between innovation and responsibility in the modern gaming landscape.
As AI capabilities grow, so too does the need for clear ethical guidelines, fair labor practices, and honest communication. Saber Interactive's recent actions—adding a disclaimer, issuing an apology, and promising further transparency—represent a step toward navigating this complex terrain, but the industry as a whole still faces many unanswered questions about the future role of artificial intelligence in creative work.