The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, recently met with Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman to discuss his ambitious AI-backed music project, Secret Mountain, in a conversation that blends AI and art. Rahman expressed excitement for the future by sharing a photo of their interaction on social media along with the accompanying comment:
It was a pleasure meet @sama at his office …we discussed “Secret Mountain,” our virtual global band, and to empower and uplift Indian minds to use AI tools to address generational challenges and lead the way forward.
EPI.
Rahman is dressed in a suit, while Altman is wearing jeans and a casual t-shirt. The image serves as a visual representation of the combination of traditional artistic expression and technological progress.
What is Secret Mountain?
Rahman’s project Secret Mountain is a virtual global band driven by AI and rooted in cross-cultural music. The plot revolves around a young woman named Luna who is transported to a fabled musical world and escapes the bustle of modern digital life. The story was first teased on YouTube in February 2024. In this interactive narrative, Rahman explores mindfulness, ethnic diversity, and the future of storytelling in the metaverse.
According to the official website, Secret Mountain is described as a “Meta Band“, with Rahman’s compositions forming the “heartbeat” of the experience.
OpenAI Visit: A Creative Crossroad
Rahman’s visit to OpenAI’s San Francisco office wasn’t just a photo op. He hosted a fireside chat and Q&A session with OpenAI executives and team members. Srinivas Narayanan, VP at OpenAI, called the meeting “an incredible honor.”
“Beyond being an iconic composer, he is also a true innovator—constantly pushing boundaries, from creating the VR film Le Musk to building a metahuman digital band,” Narayanan wrote.
He went on to say that Rahman’s analysis of how AI is changing artistic expression was thought-provoking and inspirational.
A Stop at Perplexity AI
Rahman also met Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI, where he received a live demo of their Comet browser and presented his ideas for Secret Mountain. Aravind shared a photo, writing:
“Great hosting @arrahman at the @perplexity_ai office today with live demos of Comet browser and his upcoming project ‘Secret Mountain.’”
Great hosting @arrahman at @perplexity_ai office today with live demos of Comet browser, and his upcoming project “Secret Mountain”. pic.twitter.com/1MNiLzdGas
— Aravind Srinivas (@AravSrinivas) July 25, 2025z
AI, Art, and the Future
Rahman, who has a history of experimenting—from combining Indian classical music with EDM to experimenting with virtual reality in his movie Le Musk—is now blazing new trails where immersive music, AI tools, and cultural storytelling meet. He hopes Secret Mountain will inspire a new generation of Indian creators to embrace technology for social and artistic innovation.
Rahman recently received praise for his compositions for Chhaava, Kadhalikka Neramillai, and Thug Life. He is now collaborating with Hans Zimmer to compose the music of Nitesh Tiwari’s Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash-starrer Ramayana films. He also has numerous other projects lined up, including Tere Ishk Mein and Peddi.
