In a moment that could mark the beginning of a new era in global music innovation, A.R. Rahman—India’s most celebrated composer—has taken a bold step into the world of artificial intelligence. During a recent trip to the United States, Rahman met with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas to discuss his ambitious new project, Secret Mountain, a virtual band experience powered by AI and rooted in diverse global cultures.
The meetings, held in San Francisco, signal a strategic intersection of creativity and technology. Rahman, who has won Oscars, Grammys, and hearts across the globe, is now turning his attention to how AI can expand the boundaries of musical expression, storytelling, and global cultural exchange.
The photos shared by Rahman from the OpenAI headquarters showed him alongside Altman, with the caption:
“It was a pleasure meeting @sama at his office. We discussed #SecretMountain, our virtual global band, and how to uplift Indian minds through AI tools addressing generational challenges.”
In parallel, Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and CEO of Perplexity AI, also confirmed his own meeting with Rahman on social media. Srinivas expressed admiration for Rahman’s forward-thinking vision, stating:
“What a mind. What a human. What a presence. We had an incredible time demoing our tools and discussing music, culture, and the future.”
These encounters weren’t just symbolic. They reflect Rahman’s growing commitment to harnessing AI not just as a tool for automation, but as a force for creative collaboration and cultural storytelling.
What Is
Secret Mountain
?
Secret Mountain is a multimedia, transmedia project launched by A.R. Rahman in early 2024. It tells the story of Luna, a mystical young protagonist who journeys through magical landscapes, discovering musical avatars from across continents—each representing unique cultural and sonic traditions. The band includes virtual members influenced by the musical styles of India, China, Africa, Ireland, and beyond.
But Secret Mountain isn’t just fantasy or fiction. It’s envisioned as an evolving digital universe with AI-generated music, voice synthesis, immersive storytelling, and potentially interactive performances in virtual reality.
Rahman describes it as an attempt to build a global musical experience that is rooted in emotion and human creativity—but powered by next-gen technology. “We want to create a magical world where music unites people, and AI helps amplify those emotional connections,” Rahman said in a previous media interaction.
The AI Edge
By collaborating with Altman and Srinivas—two of the most powerful minds in AI innovation—Rahman is exploring how large language models, generative audio systems, and answer-based AI like Perplexity can assist in creating richer musical experiences. OpenAI’s tools could be used for:
- Generating voice modulations for characters
- Creating adaptive music scores
- Enhancing songwriting with natural language cues
- Personalizing listener experiences
Perplexity’s role could involve providing AI-driven knowledge graphs for cultural data, lyrical research, or scriptwriting for the Secret Mountain universe. Srinivas reportedly gave Rahman a live demonstration of Perplexity’s latest tool, “Comet,” designed for intelligent browsing and real-time content generation.
A Composer’s Complex Relationship with AI
Interestingly, Rahman hasn’t always been an AI enthusiast. In past interviews, he has voiced concerns about the ethical boundaries of AI in music. Calling it a “Frankenstein of collective stolen knowledge,” he has stressed the importance of emotion, originality, and cultural roots in music composition.
However, Rahman isn’t rejecting AI; he’s reimagining it. His goal is not to replace musicians, but to empower them. “We need to ensure AI works with us, not against us,” he noted in a panel last year. In this light, his engagement with Altman and Srinivas becomes even more relevant—it’s about setting a precedent for responsible, culturally sensitive use of technology.
India at the Heart of the Innovation
Rahman’s project could become a major milestone for Indian creators. By blending Indian narratives with AI infrastructure built in Silicon Valley, Secret Mountain might be one of the first cultural exports to emerge from India’s creative-tech space at this scale.
India has a rich tradition of storytelling through music, from folk ballads to classical ragas. Rahman’s plan is to build on that legacy using tools that today’s youth can access—from AI mastering plugins to browser-based beatmakers. He believes that Indian musicians and creators should not merely consume global tech but actively shape it.
“The next global music revolution can come from India—if we embrace the right tools with the right values,” Rahman stated during a TEDx talk earlier this year.
A Platform for Young Talent?
There are also reports that Secret Mountain could eventually evolve into a decentralized music platform, where young musicians across India—and the world—can contribute AI-enhanced songs and narratives. This model would be akin to a metaverse-backed record label, with algorithms assisting in everything from production to global distribution.
Rahman’s collaborators in this venture include Good Fellas Studio and Qyuki Digital Media, a platform he co-founded to support Indian digital talent. The team has also hinted at upcoming collaborations with animators, game developers, and interactive storytellers.
Sam Altman’s Cultural Push?
While Sam Altman is known primarily for his leadership at OpenAI and his focus on foundational models like GPT and DALL·E, his interest in Secret Mountain may also indicate a shift toward cultural applications of AI. If successful, the project could serve as a case study in how AI augments—not erodes—artistic expression.
With OpenAI facing increasing scrutiny over training data, creative licensing, and content ownership, a high-profile, ethically grounded collaboration like Rahman’s could prove beneficial to both parties. It humanizes the tech while giving artists a new palette of tools.
What Happens Next?
The meetings in San Francisco were likely the first of many. Sources close to the project indicate that the next stage could involve pilot performances, short animated clips, or even an AI-generated album. No official timeline has been released, but Rahman’s social media activity hints that the project is moving swiftly.
If successful, Secret Mountain could become not only a pioneering musical AI project but also a blueprint for how developing countries like India can lead innovation in culturally rich, emotionally grounded creative tech.
Final Thoughts
In an era where AI is often viewed as a threat to originality, A.R. Rahman is offering a counter-narrative: one where tradition and technology co-create beauty.
His meetings with Altman and Srinivas are more than celebrity photo-ops—they are signals that India’s cultural icons are ready to shape the global AI conversation, not just follow it.
With Secret Mountain, Rahman may be doing what he’s always done best—redefining what’s possible.
