Tim Willits, the chief creative officer at Saber Interactive, weighed in on the controversy sparked by CEO Matthew Karch’s response to allegations that a writer at the studio had been supplanted by an artificial‑intelligence tool. The dispute began in August when Stella Sacco, who identified herself as the lead writer for Saber’s forthcoming title Rideshare Simulator, posted that she had been "replaced by ChatGPT midway through development." In a sharply worded reply, Karch dismissed the 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 a terse rebuttal, insisting that her statements were accurate and calling the CEO’s remarks "remarkably pathetic" for a corporate leader.
When GamesIndustry.biz approached Willits at Gamescom for his perspective on the public back‑and‑forth, he brushed the exchange off as "just Matt’s sarcasm, that’s all." He then pivoted to the core issue: the use of AI in Saber’s development pipeline. "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 elements in Saber’s recent releases – including Space Marine, Hellraiser, and Stuntman – have been generated by generative‑AI systems. Willits did, however, acknowledge that the studio is actively experimenting with AI technologies to understand where they might add value.
"We’re still figuring out which parts of the industry could benefit, what players will enjoy, and where the tools actually make sense," he explained. He cited the yet‑unreleased Rideshare Simulator as a test case, noting that an "AI mode" is being trialed within the game.
"Everything else – the main campaign, side quests, character dialogue – was written by human writers," he clarified. "Even the side missions were crafted by people, not machines." The Steam store page for Rideshare Simulator provides a transparent disclosure: the primary campaign story, characters, and dialogue are authored by a human team, while AI tools are employed for voice synthesis and certain aspects of localization. Additionally, the optional "Free Ride" mode features AI‑generated passenger missions and localized dialogue, and the in‑game radio stations blend human‑composed tracks with AI‑produced music.
Willits also addressed rumors that Saber might be using generative AI for code, level design, or texture creation. He denied any such integration in the current production pipelines, stating that those core development tasks remain entirely human‑driven. Nonetheless, he expressed optimism that a breakthrough use‑case could emerge, one that would demonstrate a "clever and brilliant" application of modern AI that resonates with both developers and players.
"When new technologies first appear, there’s always a period of uncertainty – people ask, ‘What will we do with this? How will it work?’" Willits observed, drawing a parallel to historical tech adoption curves. "Eventually we discover where it fits into everyday workflows, and it becomes a standard part of the toolkit." Looking ahead, Willits hinted that the next Gamescom could showcase larger titles that more directly incorporate AI features. "I think next year we’ll see some bigger games that actually focus on it," he said, expressing curiosity about how AI will be received in Saber’s Rideshare Simulator and beyond.
"It’s a great experiment, and I’m eager to see how players respond, how the integration feels, and whether it enhances the overall experience." In summary, while Saber Interactive is cautiously exploring AI’s potential – particularly for voice work, localization, and optional gameplay modes – the company maintains that all substantive narrative content remains the product of human creativity. The studio’s stance reflects a broader industry conversation about balancing innovative AI tools with the preservation of authentic, human‑crafted storytelling. The full interview with Willits will be published by GamesIndustry.biz tomorrow.