Definition
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard developed by Anthropic that enables AI systems to securely connect to external data sources and tools in a consistent way. Instead of building custom integrations for each data source, MCP provides a universal framework, like "USB-C for AI."
Example
An AI agent using MCP connects to your Slack workspace, Google Drive, and GitHub through standardized MCP servers, reading messages, fetching documents, and creating issues without custom code for each service.
Why it matters
MCP is becoming the standard for how AI agents connect to the outside world. Anthropic launched MCP in late 2024, and adoption has grown rapidly. By mid-2025, MCP support was available in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and multiple open-source frameworks.