The chief creative officer at Saber Interactive has stated, "We've never replaced anybody with AI"

Image credit: Unigine/Saber Interactive

Saber Interactive's chief creative officer, Tim Willits, has commented on company CEO Matthew Karch's recent remarks following allegations that a writer at the firm was replaced with artificial intelligence. The controversy erupted after Stella Sacco claimed she was substituted by ChatGPT halfway through her work as the lead writer on the forthcoming Rideshare Stimulator project.

Matthew Karch had issued a direct response to these claims, stating, "Stella who? I had to ask Claude because I have never spoken to her or seen her … As far as Stella is concerned, she was replaced by someone more talented and terminated for a variety of reasons a few months later."

Replying to Karch, Sacco insisted that, "Everything I said was true," and criticized Karch's statement as inappropriate for someone in his position.

During an inquiry at Gamescom, Willits clarified the company's position, attributing Karch's comments to mere sarcasm. He asserted, "The important thing is that we've never replaced anybody with AI. That's crazy."

Willits further explained that while they are not utilizing generative AI in major projects like Space Marine or Hellraiser, they are nonetheless exploring its potential. In Rideshare Stimulator, AI experiments are being conducted, particularly in an AI mode, yet the core story and side missions remain crafted by human writers.

The game's description on Steam notes that the central campaign's plot and dialogue are penned by human authors. AI contributions are limited to voice generation and some localization elements. Additionally, it states that the optional Free Ride mode includes AI-created passenger missions and AI-assisted dialogue, while the game's soundtrack combines human-produced and AI-generated music.

"I bet at next year's Gamescom, I think we'll have some bigger games that actually focus on [AI]"

According to Willits, Saber Interactive is not applying generative AI in the development of code, landscapes, or textures. However, he believes future technological advancements will reveal innovative applications for AI, akin to other historic technologies that eventually found a place in everyday life.

Expressing curiosity about how AI might be integrated into gaming, Willits noted, "At next year's Gamescom, I think we'll have some bigger games that actually focus on it. I'm eager to see its application in our Rideshare game and gauge player reception."

The complete conversation with Tim Willits will be available tomorrow in GamesIndustry.biz.