Tim Willits, the chief creative officer at Saber Interactive, stepped in to comment on the controversy sparked by CEO Matthew Karch’s response to allegations that a member of the writing team had been replaced by an artificial‑intelligence system. The dispute began when former lead writer Stella Sacco publicly claimed in August that she had been the principal author of Saber’s upcoming title, Rideshare Simulator, only to be "replaced by ChatGPT halfway through development." Karch’s reply was unusually sharp.
He wrote, "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 quickly fired back, insisting, "Everything I said was true. Here's more truth: that statement is remarkably pathetic for the CEO of any company to be making." The exchange drew attention at Gamescom, where GamesIndustry.biz approached Willits for his perspective on the public feud.
"That's just Matt’s sarcasm, that’s all," Willits said, attempting to downplay the heated tone. He then moved on to the core issue: the use of artificial intelligence in Saber’s development pipeline. "The bottom line is we have never replaced a person with AI.
That idea is absurd," Willits asserted. He emphasized that none of the narrative work on titles such as Space Marine, Hellraiser, Stuntman, or the upcoming Rideshare Simulator was generated by a machine. "All of the main campaign story, characters, and dialogue were crafted by human writers," he noted, echoing the disclosure on the game's Steam page. That page also clarifies that AI tools have been employed solely for voice synthesis and certain localization tasks, not for core storytelling.
Willits did, however, acknowledge that Saber is actively experimenting with generative AI in limited capacities. "We’re testing it because we don’t yet know where AI will add genuine value in the industry, what players will appreciate, and which aspects of production it can truly enhance," he explained. He cited the optional "Free Ride" mode in Rideshare Simulator, which includes AI‑generated passenger missions and localized dialogue, as a concrete example of this experimentation. Even the in‑game radio stations feature a blend of tracks created by human musicians and pieces generated by AI algorithms.
When asked about the broader role of AI in game creation, Willits was clear that Saber does not currently rely on generative tools for core assets such as code, level geometry, or textures. "Our production pipelines for those elements remain entirely human‑driven," he said.
Nonetheless, he expressed optimism that a breakthrough use case could emerge, one that would make the integration of advanced AI feel inevitable and intuitive. "Imagine a developer discovering a clever, brilliant application of true modern AI that makes everyone say, ‘That’s it!’ – that’s the moment when the technology stops being a novelty and becomes a standard part of the toolbox," Willits mused. He likened this potential shift to the historical pattern of new technologies: initially met with skepticism and confusion, then gradually woven into everyday practice as their strengths become evident. Looking ahead, Willits hinted that the next edition of Gamescom could showcase larger titles that place AI at the forefront of their design.
"I think next year we’ll see some bigger games that actually focus on it," he predicted. He is eager to observe how AI integration will play out in Saber’s own Rideshare Simulator and how the gaming community will respond.
"It’s a great experiment, and I’m curious to see how it works in our ride‑sharing game, how players like it, and how seamlessly it can be woven into the experience," he said. In summary, while Saber Interactive is cautiously exploring AI for ancillary functions like voice work, localization, and optional mission generation, the company maintains that all primary narrative content continues to be authored by human writers. Willits’ comments aim to reassure both staff and fans that no employee has been supplanted by a chatbot, and that any AI usage is presently confined to experimental, non‑core areas.
The full interview with GamesIndustry.biz is slated for publication tomorrow, promising further insight into Saber’s evolving stance on artificial intelligence in game development.