Tim Willits, the chief creative officer at Saber Interactive, stepped in to comment on the controversy sparked by CEO Matthew Karch’s reaction to allegations that a writer on the company’s upcoming title had been replaced by an artificial‑intelligence system. The dispute began when Stella Sacco publicly asserted in August that she was the lead writer for Saber’s forthcoming "Rideshare Simulator" and that the studio "replaced me with ChatGPT halfway through development." In response, Karch issued a sharply worded reply that dismissed Sacco’s claim, stating, "Stella who? I had to ask Claude because I have never spoken to her or seen her… As far as Stella is concerned, she was replaced by someone more talented and terminated for a variety of reasons a few months later." Sacco fired back with her own statement, insisting that everything she said was accurate and calling the CEO’s comment "remarkably pathetic" for a leader of any organization to make. When GamesIndustry.biz approached Willits at Gamescom for his perspective on the public back‑and‑forth, he brushed it off as "just Matt’s sarcasm, that’s all." He then moved on to the core issue that matters to Saber: the use of artificial‑intelligence tools in its creative process.
"The bottom line is that we have never replaced a person with AI. That would be insane," Willits said.
He emphasized that none of the narrative work for titles such as *Space Marine*, *Hellraiser*, *Stuntman* or any other current project has been generated by AI. "All of those games were written by human writers, down to the side missions," he added. Willits did, however, acknowledge that Saber is actively experimenting with generative AI, but only in limited, exploratory capacities.
He explained that the company is still trying to understand where AI might add genuine value to the industry, what players will find appealing, and which parts of the development pipeline could benefit from automation. "We announced *Rideshare Simulator* and we’re testing an AI mode for it," he said. "The rest of the content – the main campaign story, characters, dialogue, and even the side quests – were all crafted by human writers." The Steam store page for *Rideshare Simulator* backs up Willits’ statements. It clearly notes that the core campaign narrative, its characters and spoken lines are the product of a human writing team.
AI tools are only employed for specific auxiliary tasks such as voice synthesis and certain localization duties. Additionally, the optional "Free Ride" mode features AI‑generated passenger missions and localized dialogue, while the in‑game radio stations blend tracks produced by musicians with pieces generated by AI algorithms.
When pressed about the broader role of generative AI in Saber’s production pipelines – for example, whether it is used to generate code, level geometry, textures, or other assets – Willits was unequivocal: "We don’t use generative AI for those core production elements at this time." He did, however, speculate about future possibilities. He imagined a scenario where a developer discovers a truly clever and transformative application of modern AI that would make the industry say, "That’s it – this is how AI belongs in games." He likened the current exploratory phase to the early days of any new technology, when people ask, "What can we do with this?
How will it work?" Over time, society typically integrates useful tools into everyday practice. Willits expressed optimism about the evolution of AI in gaming. "It will be fascinating to watch where this goes," he said.
He predicted that by next year’s Gamescom, larger titles might start to showcase more pronounced AI integration. "I think we’ll see some bigger games that actually focus on it," he added, noting his curiosity about how the feature will be received in *Rideshare Simulator* and how it will be woven into the overall player experience. He described the current experiment as "a great test" that could inform future decisions.
In summary, while Saber Interactive is not yet using AI to replace writers or to automate core development tasks, the studio is deliberately probing the technology’s potential in ancillary areas such as voice generation, localization, and optional gameplay modes. Willits’ comments suggest a cautious but open‑minded stance: the company wants to avoid the pitfalls of hype while staying alert to genuine breakthroughs that could reshape how games are made.
The full interview with Willits will be published by GamesIndustry.biz tomorrow, offering a more detailed look at the studio’s approach to AI and its vision for the future of interactive entertainment.