Tim Willits, the chief creative officer at Saber Interactive, has weighed in on the controversy sparked by CEO Matthew Karch’s response to allegations that a company writer was replaced by an AI system. The dispute began when Stella Sacco, who identified herself as the lead writer for Saber’s forthcoming title Rideshare Simulator, publicly claimed in August that she was dismissed and substituted with ChatGPT halfway through the project’s development.
In reaction, Karch issued a sharply worded reply, 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 statement, insisting that everything she said was accurate and labeling Karch’s comment as "remarkably pathetic for the CEO of any company to be making." When GamesIndustry.biz approached Saber’s CCO at Gamescom for comment, Willits dismissed the exchange as a case of "just Matt’s sarcasm, that’s all." He then pivoted to the core issue, emphasizing that the company has never actually swapped a human employee for artificial intelligence. "That’s crazy," he said, adding that generative AI has not been used in the development of titles such as Space Marine, Hellraiser, Stuntman, or any other current Saber projects. Willits did, however, acknowledge that Saber is actively experimenting with AI technologies to understand where they might add value in the industry.
He explained that the yet‑unreleased Rideshare Simulator includes an experimental "AI mode" that the team is testing, but he was clear that the primary narrative, characters, and dialogue for the main campaign were crafted by human writers. "Even the side missions were all written by humans," he stressed.
The Steam store page for Rideshare Simulator provides a transparent AI disclosure. It notes that while the core campaign story, characters, and dialogue were authored by a team of human writers, AI tools were employed for voice generation and certain localization tasks. Additionally, the optional "Free Ride" mode offers AI‑generated passenger missions and localized dialogue, and the in‑game radio stations feature a blend of human‑composed tracks and AI‑produced music. Willits clarified that Saber does not currently integrate generative AI into its production pipelines for core assets such as code, level design, or texture creation.
He suggested that the industry is still in an exploratory phase, comparing AI adoption to earlier technological breakthroughs. "When they first come out, people are like, ‘What are we going to do with this technology? How’s it going to work?’ And then we all discover that it’ll fit into everyday life," he said.
Looking ahead, Willits speculated that a future breakthrough could showcase a truly clever and compelling use of modern AI within a game experience—one that would make the potential of the technology obvious to both developers and players. He likened this prospective moment to historical moments when new tools became indispensable after their initial novelty faded.
He also hinted at upcoming announcements, noting that at next year’s Gamescom we might see larger titles that place AI at the forefront of their design. "I’m curious to see how it plays out for us, I’m curious to see how it works in our Rideshare game, and how people are going to like it, and how it’s integrated. It’s a great experiment," Willits concluded.
In summary, while Saber Interactive is experimenting with AI in peripheral aspects of game development—such as voice synthesis, localization, and optional mission generation—the company maintains that all substantive narrative content for its current projects remains the work of human writers. The ongoing dialogue underscores the broader industry conversation about the appropriate role of AI, the ethical considerations of replacing creative staff, and the need for clear communication with the gaming community.
The full interview with Tim Willits can be found on GamesIndustry.biz.