Model Context Protocol (MCP)
Definition
The Model Context Protocol is an open standard for connecting AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a uniform interface, so the same integration can be reused across models and applications instead of being rebuilt for each one.
For companies the relevance is portability: connectors to the ERP, the file store or the ticket system remain usable when the underlying model changes.
It does not remove the need for access control — permissions and logging still belong to the connector, not the protocol.
In practice
- Reusable connectors across models and assistants
- Reduces lock-in to a single AI provider
- Access rights and logging stay the integrator's responsibility
Related terms
- API integrationAn API integration connects two systems through their programming interfaces so data moves automatically and reliably. It is the stable alternative to manual re-entry, CSV exchange and interface robots, and it is the backbone of every serious automation.
- OrchestrationOrchestration is the coordination layer that decides which agent, model or service handles which step, in what order, with which data, and what happens on failure. It is what turns individual agents into a dependable operational system.
- AI agentAn AI agent is a program that pursues a goal on its own: it decides which steps to take, calls tools or APIs to take them, checks the result and repeats until the goal is reached or it hands over. Unlike a chatbot it acts, rather than only answering.