A public dispute has erupted between Saber Interactive co-founder and CEO Matthew Karch and former lead writer Stella Sacco over the undisclosed use of generative AI in the upcoming game Rideshare Stimulator.

Quick Facts

  • Game: Rideshare Stimulator (developed by Unigine, published by Saber Interactive).
  • Core Dispute: Former lead writer Stella Sacco claims she was replaced by ChatGPT midway through development and that AI voices were used for passengers without Steam disclosure.
  • Publisher Stance: Saber denies replacing writers, stating its writing staff has tripled since 2023 and the story script was written entirely by humans.
  • Confirmed AI Usage: Saber acknowledged that an experimental free-ride mode incorporates AI because the number of passengers in the game is infinite, noting plans to update the Steam page once the feature set is finalized.

The controversy began on August 11 when Sacco shared a trailer for Rideshare Stimulator on Bluesky. Sacco stated she was the lead writer on the project before being replaced by ChatGPT, alleging that passenger voices and live updates relied on AI without being disclosed on Steam.

In response to earlier reports, Saber told PC Gamer that no writers were replaced and that the game's story was written by real people. However, the publisher confirmed that its experimental free-ride mode uses AI to handle an infinite number of passengers, adding that it views AI tools as a way to improve gameplay and NPC behavior.

The dispute intensified overnight when Karch told This Week in Videogames, "I would frankly in retrospect have been happy to replace her with AI. At least we would be dealing with someone programmed to be honest." Karch further stated that Sacco was terminated for reasons unrelated to AI use and accused her of violating a confidentiality clause.

Sacco responded sharply on Bluesky, calling Karch's statement "remarkably pathetic" and arguing that the public remarks would damage Saber's reputation. Karch noted that Saber intends to update the Steam page for the lower-priced title once its AI feature set is fully finalized.