Oscar‑winning composer AR Rahman met with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Perplexity AI’s Aravind Srinivas this week to chart how generative AI can amplify Indian creativity through Rahman’s “Secret Mountain” virtual‑band initiative.
Rahman, who shared a photo of his visit on social media platform X, described discussions on “empowering and uplifting Indian minds to use AI tools to address generational challenges and lead the way forward.”
During his visit to OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters, Rahman and Altman explored how AI‑powered composition and production tools might streamline workflow and spur experimentation. “It was a pleasure [to] meet @sama at his office…we discussed ‘Secret Mountain’…and to empower and uplift Indian minds to use AI tools,” Rahman wrote. Altman, in turn, praised Rahman’s vision for harnessing AI to tackle “generational challenges” and diversify creative leadership.
Rahman also met Srinivas at Perplexity’s New York office, where the pair conducted live demonstrations of the Comet AI browser’s research and collaboration features. “Great hosting @arrahman at @perplexity_ai office today with live demos of Comet browser, and his upcoming project ‘Secret Mountain,’” Srinivas posted, highlighting potential synergies between AI search, generative media and immersive musical experiences.
Secret Mountain Project
AR Rahman’s Secret Mountain is a cutting-edge virtual entertainment initiative that fuses music, culture and advanced technology like AI and XR (Extended Reality).
It is a virtual music and storytelling platform that brings together AI, digital avatars (MetaHumans) and immersive technologies to create a multicultural borderless “global band.” The initiative creates interactive experiences where virtual performers representing diverse cultural identities perform music and narratives powered by advanced AI and XR.
Secret Mountain aims to empower creators, especially from India and the Global South, by using generative AI and Web3 tools to overcome traditional barriers in global entertainment. Rahman envisions it as a space where technology enhances, rather than replaces, human emotion and creativity, offering new ways to collaborate, perform and share culturally rich stories with the world.
First unveiled in a YouTube teaser on February 14, 2024, Secret Mountain transports viewers into a mystical digital realm where a diverse cast of musical avatars, from India, Ireland, China and Africa, unites under Rahman’s “Meta Band.”
In the demo’s opening, an animated guide named Luna laments life’s “dooms of scrolling” before journeying to a mountaintop of cross‑cultural soundscapes. Good Fellas Studio and Qyuki Digital Media, co‑founded by Rahman, conceived the project as a fusion of music, animation and interactive storytelling.
Rahman’s View on AI
Rahman has voiced nuanced views on AI’s role in music. In a 2024 interview with The Week, he likened ungoverned AI training to a “Frankenstein of collective stolen knowledge,” yet acknowledged AI’s value in song mastering. “AI can be a starting point, but the human element, the emotional depth and creativity, remains irreplaceable,” he said on his website.
Secret Mountain aims to roll out interactive experiences later this year, offering audiences the chance to co‑create compositions with AI‑enhanced avatars. Rahman’s concurrent film projects include scoring the two‑part Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and co‑composed with Hans Zimmer, underscoring his commitment to large‑scale cross‑disciplinary productions.
