The frustration surrounding Rideshare “Stimulator” from Saber Interactive is far from over. After former writer Stella Sacco publicly claimed she was replaced by ChatGPT, PC Gamer has now weighed in with a sharp commentary: Studio heads who rely on AI-generated NPCs and dialogues are underestimating their audience – and shouldn't prove it by delivering poor AI texts.
What Exactly Happened in the Saber Interactive Dispute?
Sacco stated on Bluesky that she was removed from the project so that an AI tool could write the remaining driver-passenger dialogues for the game. Saber Interactive denies replacing her for this reason but admits to using AI-generated texts for the “experimental” side-mode feature – arguing that the number of possible passengers is virtually unlimited and cannot be written by humans alone. CEO Matt Karch responded to the accusations with unusual combativeness: In a public statement, he essentially asked “Stella who?” and explained that he had consulted an AI himself for his response because he had never met the writer personally.
Why is this Case Now Sparking an Industry-Wide Debate?
It's precisely this tone that PC Gamer takes issue with: The commentary accuses studio heads of treating AI writing tools as a cost issue, ignoring that players absolutely notice the difference between handwritten and generated dialogues. We had previously reported on our report on the mandatory AI label that Saber Interactive now has to display on the game's Steam page. What's new now is primarily the intensification: The case is becoming a springboard for a larger debate about how openly studios should handle the use of AI in dialogues and NPC texts – a topic further fueled by similar announcements, such as generative “Neo-NPCs” from other major publishers.
From our perspective, the case primarily shows one thing: The technology itself is not the problem, but rather the industry's lack of transparency. A studio that openly communicates where and why AI is being used receives significantly less backlash than one that first denies criticism and then aggressively retaliates.
Source: PC Gamer, PC Gamer (CEO Statement)
What's your take on AI-generated dialogues in games – an acceptable toolkit or a cause for concern? Discuss with us in the comments!
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