Tim Willits, the chief creative officer at Saber Interactive, stepped in to comment on the heated exchange that erupted after CEO Matthew Karch responded to allegations that a writer had been replaced by an artificial‑intelligence tool. The controversy began in August when Stella Sacco, who identified herself as the lead writer on Saber’s upcoming title Rideshare Stimulator, publicly claimed that the company had "replaced me with ChatGPT midway through development." In response, Karch issued a sharply worded rebuttal, dismissing Sacco’s involvement and suggesting she had been let go for unrelated reasons. Sacco fired back, insisting her statements were accurate and labeling the CEO’s comments as "remarkably pathetic." When GamesIndustry.biz approached Willits at Gamescom for his perspective on the public dispute, he framed the CEO’s remarks as nothing more than sarcasm. "That's just Matt's sarcasm, that's all," Willits said, before moving on to the core issue: the use of generative AI within Saber Interactive’s development pipelines.
He was emphatic that the company has never replaced a human employee with AI. "That's crazy," he declared, adding that none of the narrative work for titles such as Space Marine, Hellraiser, or Stuntman has been generated by AI. All storylines, character arcs, and dialogue in those games were crafted by human writers.
Willits did, however, acknowledge that Saber is actively experimenting with AI technologies to understand where they might add value to future projects. He explained that the team is still mapping out the areas of game development where AI could be beneficial, what players might enjoy, and how the tools could be integrated without compromising creative integrity. Regarding Rideshare Stimulator, he clarified that the company is testing an "AI mode" for the game, but emphasized that the core campaign, side missions, and primary narrative elements remain human‑written.
The Steam store page for Rideshare Stimulator provides a nuanced disclosure. It states that the main campaign’s story, characters, and dialogue are authored by a team of human writers, while AI tools are employed for voice generation and certain aspects of localization. Additionally, the optional "Free Ride" mode includes AI‑generated passenger missions and localized dialogue, and the in‑game radio stations feature a blend of music created by humans and tracks produced with AI assistance.
Willits also addressed broader concerns about AI in the production pipeline. He confirmed that Saber does not currently use generative AI for writing code, constructing environments, or creating textures. The company’s approach, according to Willits, is to treat AI as an experimental aid rather than a replacement for skilled staff. He suggested that, as with any emerging technology, the industry will need time to discover practical, creative applications that resonate with both developers and players.
Looking ahead, Willits speculated that a breakthrough use case for AI could eventually emerge—one that would be so intuitive and compelling that the industry would collectively recognize its potential. He likened this prospective moment to historical technological shifts, where early skepticism gives way to widespread adoption once clear benefits become evident.
"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. Willits expressed optimism about the trajectory of AI in gaming, predicting that future editions of Gamescom might showcase larger titles that deliberately center AI-driven features.
He is eager to see how the experimental AI mode in Rideshare Stimulator will be received, how it integrates with the overall player experience, and whether it will set a precedent for other developers. "It's a great experiment," he concluded, underscoring the company's commitment to exploring AI responsibly while maintaining a human‑centric creative process. The full interview with Willits, conducted by GamesIndustry.biz, provides additional context and details about Saber Interactive’s stance on AI, their current experiments, and their vision for the technology’s role in the future of game development.