Fly To Your Flight

PRESENTED BY TOMISMS

Happy Friday, TFP. It looks like we may not be alone in the universe. Analysis of a planet called K2-18b, which is 120 light years away, apparently has an abundance of dimethyl sulfide — a compound that, so far, is only found in living organisms. Well, mostly marine algae… but it’s a start! That means K2-18b may have water and some sort of microbial life, which is sure to fuel some more exploration. Far out.

DAILY TOP TRENDS

Archer And United Want You To Take A Plane To Your Plane

Air-taxi startup Archer Aviation and United Airlines are joining forces to offer rides from various locations around Manhattan to six nearby airports.

The Big Picture: NYC is notorious for its logjammed traffic, which makes driving to the airport a nightmare. By offering an air-taxi service that takes you directly to your United flight — for a steep price, no doubt — United passengers could majorly cut down on their commute times… and set the stage for a national expansion.

Behind the Trips: Archer and United want to reduce your two-hour drive to the airport to a five-to-15-minute flight.

• The service would provide transportation to JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Westchester County Airport, Teterboro Airport, and Republic Airport.

• Archer’s all-electric, five-person “Midnight” VTOL aircraft would utilize existing helipads throughout Manhattan (East 34th Street, West 30th Street, etc.).

• Passengers will be able to book the air-taxi trips as an “add-on” to their United flights. A price has yet to be determined (although expect it to come somewhere in the ballpark of Blade’s $265/seat for helicopter transport).

The Future: Even though Archer is making its US commercial debut at the LA Olympics in 2028, there’s no launch date set for the NYC service… especially since the company still needs to get final FAA approval and do a test flight with an actual human pilot. But NYC remains the holy grail, because it’s the number-one helicopter-commuting city in the world, making it ground zero for disruption.

And considering recent tragedies with Manhattan’s helicopters, air taxis may be seen as a welcome upgrade… as long as the stretched-thin FAA can handle the extra traffic in the skies.

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ChatGPT Turns People Into Action Figures

People are using OpenAI’s GPT-4o image generator to create images of themselves as action figures, capturing the vibe of an individual, a specific consumer, or the type of employee a company is looking for.

Why It Hits: The “starter pack” trend is both another clever use case for AI image-generation and a warning shot that the tech is displacing the talents of professional illustrators, artists, and animators. We may have officially entered the AI-as-meme era.

Behind the Box: AI-generated starter packs are trending across TikTok, X, Insta, Facebook, and even LinkedIn, per FastCompany.

• The images — which feature a Barbie-like version of yourself with a handful of mini accessories sealed in a plastic box — are created by uploading a few photos and a specific prompt to ChatGPT.

• Marketing agencies, like Revival Marketing in Texas, are using it to show off stereotypical versions of different jobs, such as “social media manager.”

• Brands like Starbucks and NYX Cosmetics are using it in digital marketing.

Last Prompt: As the starter pack trend shows no signs of slowing down, a counter-movement — the #StarterPackNoAI trend — has also popped up. After the similar ChatGPT-fueled Studio Ghibli AI trend that transformed people into the aesthetic of a Hayao Miyazaki movie, creatives are pushing back, communicating that, while fun, these trends diminish the work of artists and are clearly trained on copyrighted material. Until the courts rule one way or another, this tension may now exist at the center of every trending AI meme.

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DEEP DIVES

• Read: Deadline chats with Warner Bros. film chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, who are having a (much-needed) banner month with A Minecraft Movie and highly anticipated Sinners.

• Listen: NYT sits down with writer, actor, and comedian Ramy Youssef in the run-up to his new animated show, #1 Happy Family USA, and a starring role in Jesse Armstrong’s Mountainhead.

• Explore: Business Insider breaks down the 10 internships Glassdoor says are the best of 2025.

60.1% of you voted Yes in yesterday’s poll: Has your mood ever been affected by the colors in your work environment?

“This stands out, because I have distinct memories of meetings at Nike and Hurley CA offices, where the offices had bold, wild colors and designs, and the meetings were notably more positive, creative, and exciting. As a buyer, I found I wanted to buy more product!”

“The in-school suspension room in my middle school was Pepto-Bismol pink. I was in trouble for dress code, but I think it was designed for people who didn’t complete their work to have a place to focus.”

“As an old 32-year active duty US Army tanker, I can tell you that the inside of a tank is painted white (I was surprised, too). But one time I got into a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and the inside of those things is a light shade of green (ugly with a capital ‘U’). Aside from being in a Bradley, I had an extra reason to be sad.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

QUICK HITS

→ Entertainment / Media

🎵 A24 is launching A24 Music — a new social channel for its music division.

🎮 Operative Games is launching to develop generative-AI games using real writers and performers.

🏀 OneCourt has built a haptic device that allows blind fans to follow a basketball game in real time.

→ Technology

👨‍⚖️ A federal judge has ruled that Google operates a monopoly in the ad-tech industry.

🤖 The White House’s Stargate AI project reportedly doesn’t have enough money.

💰 A partnership among SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril is the frontrunner in building America’s “Golden Dome” defense shield.

→ Fashion / E-commerce

👔 LVMH shareholders have voted to allow CEO Bernard Arnault to remain at his post until the age of 85… for now.

😎 Designer Jonathan Anderson, formerly of LOEWE, will take over the creative director role at Dior Men.

👀 Precise TV has developed an ad tool, the Precise Audience Content Evaluator (PACE), which can legally target minors.