In a striking move that marries cutting‑edge tech with cultural creativity, Oscar and Grammy‑winning composer A.R. Rahman recently sat down with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in San Francisco to chart plans for Secret Mountain, an AI‑driven virtual global band and musical storytelling universe, set to uplift Indian creatives via artificial intelligence.
The composer shared a cheerful photo from Altman’s office on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), declaring “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.”
Conceived as a metaverse‑based musical project, Secret Mountain blends music, myth, animation and interactive narrative. At its core is Luna, a young woman navigating a surreal world inhabited by musical avatars representing diverse cultures—from India to Ireland, China to Africa. The project was first teased by Rahman in a nearly five‑minute YouTube video published in February 2024 titled Introducing the Secret Mountain.
The meeting also involved Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas, who offered Rahman live demonstrations of the Comet AI browser—an exploration into how generative tools and immersive technologies could integrate with the Secret Mountain vision.
Rahman underlined that AI—not seen as a replacement for human creativity—can serve as a powerful starting point. He emphasized the project’s aim to democratise access, empowering Indian creators with tools to break cultural and technical barriers while preserving the emotional depth of music.
Although there is no formal launch date yet, the venture is expected to follow a subscription model, targeting affordability and accessibility. Industry watchers are watching closely as this bold fusion of art and algorithm takes shape, signalling a major new chapter in global creative collaboration.
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