Saber Interactive CEO Defends Using ChatGPT, Escalates Writer Controversy

A controversy surrounding Saber Interactive and its game Rideshare Stimulator has intensified after the studio's CEO made a series of public comments that many are calling extraordinarily tone-deaf. The dispute began when a former writer claimed she had been replaced by ChatGPT on the project. Saber and co-developer Unigine initially denied the accusation outright, with an official statement reading, "Neither Saber nor Unigine have replaced any writers with AI for Rideshare or any other game." The studio also announced it would be adding an AI disclosure to Rideshare Stimulator in response to the public backlash.

However, the situation escalated sharply when Saber's CEO weighed in personally. Rather than simply reiterating the denial and moving on, he reportedly declared that he "would frankly have been happy to replace her with AI," a comment that critics argue undermines the studio's own denial and reveals an underlying hostility toward human writers. The remark drew immediate and widespread condemnation across the gaming press and developer communities, with outlets describing it as one of the worst AI-related corporate responses in recent memory. The CEO's comments have transformed what might have been a manageable PR incident into a full-blown public spat, shining a harsh spotlight on how Saber views the role of writers and creative labor in its development process.

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