The Defense Department is exploring artificial intelligence to expand surveillance of incarcerated individuals’ communications in the Military Correctional Complex (MCC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Companies offering cloud-based, AI-enabled call and message monitoring that can flag suspicious terms in real time are invited to submit proposals by Aug. 13. Officials wrote that AI software “will increase staff and inmate safety as well as provide the ability to detect, deter, and investigate criminal and unauthorized activities.” The MCC is a centralized jail system in northeast Kansas holding military prisoners convicted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, the only maximum-security facility within the DOD. The department’s request states the MCC “consists of both military and civilian staff members and more than 650 inmates.” Personnel want AI to transcribe and track non-privileged communications via a web-based dashboard. The technology must be certified for Amazon Web Services’ government cloud and interface with the MCC’s existing ViaPath Phone system, which provides real-time security monitoring. The MCC seeks semantic AI to interpret context and meaning, and agentic AI to plan and make decisions based on prompts. Officials want the AI to pinpoint new slang terms used in place of plain language for criminal activities or drug names. The AI should also offer near-instant Spanish-English translations and multi-language options, generate law enforcement assistance reports, provide targeted monitoring during emergencies, and be available during the standard work week.