Saber Interactive has taken the step of adding a formal AI usage disclaimer to the Steam store page for its title Rideshare Simulator after a wave of controversy erupted over claims that the company had dismissed a writer working on the project in favor of AI‑generated text. The notice, which now appears prominently on the game’s storefront, is intended to clarify the studio’s current stance on artificial‑intelligence tools and to address the accusations that have been circulating online. The full text of the disclaimer reads as follows: "This update follows recent comments made by Saber Interactive CEO Matt Karch concerning former writer Stella Sacco, who was employed by the studio from July 2023 until July 2024. Ms.
Sacco alleges that she was removed from the Rideshare Simulator development team midway through production and that her responsibilities were subsequently taken over by ChatGPT, alongside other undisclosed AI applications used during the game's creation. In response, Mr. Karch has stated that Ms.
Sacco was "replaced by someone more talented and terminated for a variety of reasons a few months later," and added that "in retrospect [he] would have been happy to replace her with AI." "Stella who? I had to ask Claude because I have never spoken to her or seen her," Karch told the podcast This Week In Videogames. "We have already said we are using AI for certain parts of the game and will update the Steam page once we have finalised the feature set." "We view our use of AI in this particular title, which will be a lower‑priced offering, as a benefit for consumers." In a recent post on the BlueSky social platform, Sacco wrote that Karch had "apologised unreservedly for the awful way he spoke about me in the press." She continued, "I've been firm from the beginning that I was telling the truth; I think we can all now agree that it's been borne out. Matt expressed a desire to make it right with me; at this time I don't really know what that looks like for me, and I'll have to take some time to sit with it, but I do at least accept his apology." Karch also posted a separate public statement on LinkedIn, saying, "I unfortunately got triggered by certain later comments (for reasons I won't get into) and shot first and thought second about how to respond.
It happens and I am a human being. I have done what I can to rectify." The controversy began when former staff member Stella Sacco, who served as a lead writer on Rideshare Simulator, publicly claimed that she was abruptly removed from the project and that her duties were handed over to an AI language model—specifically ChatGPT. Sacco's allegations suggested that the studio had not only replaced her with a machine but also employed other undisclosed AI tools throughout development, raising questions about the transparency of Saber Interactive's creative process. In the wake of those claims, Matt Karch, the company's chief executive, responded with a series of statements that mixed deflection, admission, and ultimately an apology.
Initially, Karch described Sacco as "someone who was replaced by a more talented individual" and hinted that, looking back, he would have been comfortable substituting a human writer with artificial intelligence. He further downplayed the personal connection to Sacco, stating he had never met or spoken with her, and that he needed to ask an AI assistant named Claude for basic information about her. Karch's comments sparked a broader discussion within the gaming community about the ethical implications of using AI to generate narrative content, especially when it results in the displacement of human creators.
Many observers noted that while AI can be a valuable tool for brainstorming or polishing prose, replacing a seasoned writer entirely raises concerns about originality, voice, and the labor rights of creative professionals. Following the backlash, Sacco posted on BlueSky that Karch had offered an "unreserved" apology for the way he had spoken about her publicly.
She emphasized that she had always maintained the truth of her account and that, after weeks of public debate, she now accepted his apology, though she remained uncertain about what concrete steps would be taken to "make it right." In his LinkedIn post, Karch acknowledged that he had reacted impulsively to later comments—details he chose not to disclose—admitting that he "shot first and thought second." He framed the incident as a human error and pledged to do whatever he could to correct the situation. The addition of the AI disclaimer to the Steam page serves multiple purposes.
First, it provides transparency to potential buyers about the role AI played in the game's development, aligning with emerging industry standards that call for clear labeling of AI‑generated content. Second, it attempts to mitigate the reputational damage suffered by the studio after the public dispute.
By openly stating that AI was used for certain aspects of the game, Saber Interactive hopes to reassure consumers that the final product remains a cohesive experience, even if some narrative elements were assisted by machine learning models. Industry analysts note that this incident could become a case study for how game developers navigate the intersection of AI technology and creative labor.
As AI tools become more sophisticated, studios will need to develop policies that balance efficiency gains with ethical considerations, such as fair compensation, attribution, and the preservation of human artistic input. For now, Rideshare Simulator is positioned as a lower‑priced title, and Saber Interactive frames its AI usage as a consumer benefit—suggesting that the technology may help reduce costs or streamline production, potentially passing savings onto players. Whether this narrative will convince skeptical gamers remains to be seen, but the studio's public acknowledgment of AI involvement marks a shift toward greater openness in an industry that has historically kept such practices behind the scenes. In summary, Saber Interactive's decision to place an AI disclaimer on the Steam page reflects both a response to specific allegations made by former writer Stella Sacco and a broader industry trend toward transparency about machine‑generated content.
CEO Matt Karch's public apologies, his admission of a hasty reaction, and his promise to rectify the situation illustrate the challenges companies face when integrating AI into creative pipelines while maintaining trust with their audience and workforce.