Saber Denies Replacement Claim, as CEO Publicly Insults Former Writer Who Called Out AI Usage

Saber Interactive has faced public scrutiny regarding the development of its upcoming title, Rideshare Stimulator, following allegations from a former lead writer that she was replaced by generative AI. The company has formally denied these claims, asserting that its writing staff has tripled since 2023 and that the game’s primary narrative was authored entirely by human writers. Saber clarified that generative AI is utilized solely for an experimental, free-ride side mode, where it generates batches of dialogue that are subsequently reviewed and edited by human staff to ensure they remain within established creative guardrails.

The controversy intensified when Saber CEO Matt Karch issued public statements dismissing the former employee’s claims and questioning her professional contributions to the project. These remarks, which were widely perceived as unprofessional and aggressive, have drawn significant criticism from the gaming community and sparked negative discourse on the game’s Steam forums. The situation highlights ongoing industry tensions regarding the integration of generative AI in creative workflows and the transparency requirements mandated by platforms like Valve, which now necessitate disclosures for games utilizing such technology.

While Saber maintains that its use of AI is a cost-efficient method to facilitate an infinite variety of passenger interactions, the incident underscores the reputational risks associated with the intersection of emerging technology and labor relations. Despite the company’s insistence that no employees have been displaced by automation, the public fallout from the CEO’s comments has overshadowed the technical explanation of the game's development process. Saber has indicated that a formal AI disclosure will be added to the game's storefront page in accordance with current industry standards.