Saber Interactive wanted to draw a line between human writers and generative AI. Its CEO’s attack on a former writer instead made that line look far blurrier.

The dispute began after Stella Sacco, a former lead writer on Rideshare “Stimulator”, said Saber had replaced her with ChatGPT during development. CEO Matthew Karch rejected that account, saying Sacco “was replaced by someone more talented” and adding that he would, in retrospect, have been “happy to replace her with AI.” Sacco’s answer was blunt: “Everything I said was true.”¹

Saber’s subsequent disclosure complicated the company’s defense. The studio says the game’s main campaign remains human-written, but its Steam page now acknowledges AI-assisted voice generation and localization. Its optional Free Ride mode uses “AI-generated passenger missions and localized dialogue,” while radio stations carry AI-generated music that will be labeled in-game.²

That distinction is at the heart of the clash. Karch’s position is that Sacco was not replaced by AI and that the studio’s core writing still belongs to people. Sacco’s complaint, however, has gained force from Saber’s own admission that generative systems are embedded in other parts of the project.

After his comments drew backlash, Karch contacted Sacco directly. She said he “apologized unreservedly for the awful way he spoke about me in the press.”³ The apology may close the personal exchange, but it does little to settle the larger question: when a studio uses AI for voices, music and missions, where exactly does human creative work stop being replaceable?