Tim Willits, who serves as chief creative officer at Saber Interactive, recently weighed in on the controversy sparked by CEO Matthew Karch’s response to allegations that a member of the writing team had been substituted with an artificial‑intelligence system. The dispute began in August when Stella Sacco, identified as the lead writer for Saber’s upcoming title Rideshare Simulator, publicly asserted that the company had "replaced me with ChatGPT midway through development." In turn, Karch issued a sharply worded rebuttal, 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 pushed back with her own statement, insisting that her claims were accurate and labeling the CEO’s remarks as "remarkably pathetic for the CEO of any company to be making." The back‑and‑forth quickly attracted media attention, and GamesIndustry.biz seized the opportunity to ask Willits for his perspective during Gamescom. Willits dismissed Karch’s comments as "just Matt’s sarcasm, that’s all," and then moved on to the core issue: the use of AI in Saber’s development pipelines. According to Willits, the company has never actually replaced a human employee with an AI system. "That would be crazy," he said, emphasizing that none of the narrative work for titles such as Space Marine, Hellraiser, Stuntman, or any other Saber project has been generated by generative‑AI tools.
"All of the main campaign story, characters, and dialogue are written by a team of human writers," he affirmed, echoing the disclosure that appears on the Steam store page for Rideshare Simulator. The Steam page does acknowledge that AI does play a limited role in the game. Specifically, AI‑driven technologies are employed for voice synthesis and certain aspects of localization.
The optional "Free Ride" mode also features AI‑generated passenger missions and localized dialogue, while the in‑game radio stations blend human‑composed tracks with pieces created by AI. Willits clarified that these uses are confined to peripheral elements and do not extend to core narrative or design work. When asked about broader integration of generative AI into Saber’s production workflow, Willits admitted that the studio is still in an experimental phase. "We’re testing it because we don’t yet know where in the industry it will be most effective, where players will appreciate it, and where it can actually add value," he explained.
He stressed that, at present, the company does not employ AI for writing code, constructing environments, or generating textures. Instead, the team is exploring how AI might augment specific tasks without supplanting human creativity.
Willits also offered a forward‑looking vision of how AI could eventually become a mainstream tool in game development. He suggested that, much like previous technological breakthroughs, AI will initially be met with skepticism and uncertainty. "When a new technology arrives, people ask, ‘What are we going to do with this?
How does it work?’ Over time we discover the niches where it fits naturally into everyday workflows," he said. He predicted that a breakthrough use case will eventually emerge—something so elegant and compelling that both developers and players will instantly recognize its value. Looking ahead to next year’s Gamescom, Willits expressed optimism that larger titles will begin to showcase more substantial AI integration.
"I think we’ll have some bigger games that actually focus on it," he said, noting that Saber’s own Rideshare Simulator will serve as a testbed for these ideas. He is eager to see how audiences respond to AI‑generated missions and whether the technology can enhance immersion without compromising the human touch that defines storytelling in games.
In summary, while Saber Interactive does employ AI for certain auxiliary functions—voice generation, localization, and optional mission creation—the core creative work remains firmly in human hands. The company’s leadership, represented by Willits, acknowledges the experimental nature of AI usage and anticipates that future innovations will reveal more meaningful applications. The controversy surrounding Stella Sacco’s claim appears to stem from a misunderstanding of what AI is actually doing on the project, rather than any outright replacement of staff.
The full interview with Willits can be read on GamesIndustry.biz.