Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is warning of "real danger" that superhuman intelligence will cause civilization-level damage absent smart, speedy intervention, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write in a "Behind the Curtain" column.

• 📝 In a 38-page essay, Amodei writes: "I believe we are entering a rite of passage, both turbulent and inevitable, which will test who we are as a species."
• "Humanity is about to be handed almost unimaginable power, and it is deeply unclear whether our social, political, and technological systems possess the maturity to wield it."

Among Amodei's warnings in "The Adolescence of Technology":

1. 📉 Massive job loss: "I ... simultaneously think that AI will disrupt 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs over 1–5 years, while also thinking we may have AI that is more capable than everyone in only 1–2 years."
2. 🌎 AI with nation-state power: "I think the best way to get a handle on the risks of AI is to ask the following question: Suppose a literal 'country of geniuses' were to materialize somewhere in the world in ~2027. Imagine, say, 50 million people, all of whom are much more capable than any Nobel Prize winner, statesman, or technologist. ... I think it should be clear that this is a dangerous situation."
3. ⚠️ Rising terror threat: "Most individual bad actors are disturbed individuals, so almost by definition their behavior is unpredictable and irrational — and it's these bad actors, the unskilled ones, who might have stood to benefit the most from AI making it much easier to kill many people."

Call to action: "[W]ealthy individuals have an obligation to help solve this problem," Amodei says. "It is sad to me that many wealthy individuals (especially in the tech industry) have recently adopted a cynical and nihilistic attitude that philanthropy is inevitably fraudulent or useless."

The bottom line: "Humanity needs to wake up, and this essay is an attempt — a possibly futile one, but it's worth trying — to jolt people awake."

• Read the essay ... NEW: Text this story to your network.

President Trump suggested that he's open to reducing the number of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) said after a call with the president today, Axios' Justin Green reports.

• Democrats have been demanding ICE's exit for weeks. But Saturday's killing of Alex Pretti has sparked broader calls for de-escalation, including from business leaders and Republican lawmakers.
• 🚓 There are some 3,000 federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

Walz said Trump "agreed to look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota and working with the state in a more coordinated fashion on immigration enforcement regarding violent criminals."

• 🤳 Trump, on Truth Social: "Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota. It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength."

Trump added that Walz welcomed his choice to send White House border czar Tom Homan, a former acting ICE director, to Minneapolis.

• Go deeper.

1. ✈️ Nearly 5,000 flights have been canceled in the U.S. so far today. Cities and airports are still digging out from this weekend's storm, while a brutal cold snap continues. See the "Misery Map."
2. 🇵🇸 Hamas helped locate the remains of the last Israeli hostage in Gaza, President Trump tells Axios' Barak Ravid. Trump also called on the group to follow through on its commitment to disarm. Go deeper.
3. 🤖 Nvidia is investing $2 billion in data center company CoreWeave — the latest in an AI spending spree that shows no signs of slowing despite questions over circular deals. Go deeper.
4. 📰 USA Today Co. is acquiring The Detroit News and plans to keep running it alongside rival Detroit Free Press. More from Axios Detroit.

The New England Patriots' first Super Bowl since the Brady/Belichick era heralds a return to dominant postseason form, Axios' Jeff Weiner writes.

• The Pats' playoff run marks a stunning turnaround after firing head coach Jerod Mayo last January following a single 4-13 season.
• 🔄 Replacement Mike Vrabel and QB Drake Maye flipped that record around this year, going 14-3.

Maye's message after yesterday's 10-7 win over Denver: "Pats are back, baby."

• 🏆 New England faces the Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 8 for all the marbles.
• Go deeper.

Tweet for the road, from Axios alumnus Kendall Baker: