Takeda Escape Room

AI is advancing at an incredible speed, making it impossible for organizations to formally teach specific applications in time. Instead, learning must shift away from rigid structures toward curious, co-created exploration that leverages individual expertise across hierarchies. To support this shift, we developed an AI-driven but live escape room where employees explore tools together in a playful, collaborative format.
It was important to create a concept that would last beyond a single event. Therefore, the escape room was embedded in an ongoing storyline centered around Yuuki, a 3D protagonist designed to guide the organization through its AI transformation.
Yuuki was brought to life using motion-capture technology and multiple AI tools. We equipped her with a distinct personality, making her relatable and human. She quickly went viral on internal channels. The dramaturgy introduced her first on screen and then live at the event, where employees encountered her through analogue touchpoints. From there, she took on a life of her own, which was exactly the intention.
Yuuki delivered a virtual keynote on the opportunities and challenges of AI and invited employees to help her complete a quest. The storyline led directly into the escape room, where teams used AI tools to solve challenges. The format emphasized collaboration, curiosity, and hierarchy-free learning.
The results exceeded expectations. All 400 employees participated with high engagement. Teams formed across departments and levels, discovering that expertise is independent of hierarchy. They discussed ideas, experimented with tools, and generated practical use cases for their daily work.
Following the event, the use of AI tools increased measurably. Conversations about AI—driven by Yuuki—continue across the organization. What started as an event element evolved into something more: Yuuki became an official “employee” and now serves as an ongoing protagonist of Takeda’s transformation.
The initial goal was to introduce several AI tools. Instead, the project sparked deep collaboration, knowledge exchange, and a lasting cultural shift. The escape room not only taught technology—it changed how people learn, work, and innovate together.