Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman met Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI and creator of ChatGPT, on the sidelines of his Wonderment tour in the US recently to discuss AI-powered music projects.

The meeting, which Rahman described as a “pleasure” on social media, revolved around his AI-powered global music project Secret Mountain and the broader potential of artificial intelligence to empower Indian creators.

“It was a pleasure [to] 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,” Rahman wrote on X.

It was an incredible honor to host the legend @arrahman - a huge idol of mine - at @OpenAI today for a fireside chat and Q&A. 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 with Secret Mountain,” said Srinivas Narayanan, VP Engineering at OpenAI.

Secret Mountain, Rahman’s collaborative initiative, aims to bring together artists from across the world into a virtual band, using artificial intelligence to blend diverse musical languages, styles, and sounds.

Rahman has been vocal in recent months about the responsible and purposeful use of AI in music. He made headlines last year for recreating the voices of late singers Bamba Bakya and Shahul Hameed in Lal Salaam using AI. Rahman later clarified that he took permission from the families and offered due compensation.

“There should be rules, like certain things you can’t do,” Rahman had earlier said in an interview to PTI. “It’s like mixing poison with oxygen and breathing it in,” he added.

Altman, who toured India earlier this year to engage with policymakers and tech leaders, has spoken admiringly of the country’s potential in shaping the global AI ecosystem.