What is MCP?
MCP, the Model Context Protocol, is an open protocol that describes how AI applications connect to tools, data and other systems.
Without a common standard, every AI application needs its own connection to every system. MCP offers a shared way to describe which tools and which data a service provides, so the same connection can be used by several applications.
The protocol was released as open source in November 2024. In December 2025 it was handed over to the Agentic AI Foundation, a fund within the Linux Foundation, so that it is governed independently of any single supplier.
A service that offers tools over MCP is called a server, and the AI application connects to it as a client. The specification describes how tools are listed and called, and states that the user should be able to deny a call.
How it works
An MCP server describes its tools with a name, a short explanation and the details each tool needs. The AI application reads the descriptions, and the model picks the tool that fits the task. The call itself is made by the application, which passes the result back to the model.
The same server can be used by different AI applications. An organisation can therefore build a connection to its case management system once and let several assistants use it.
Why it matters
MCP makes it easier to give an AI agent access to more systems. That is the benefit, and it is also the risk. Every server adds tools the model can use, and the description of a tool is text that the model reads and can be influenced by.
What to keep in mind
Treat each MCP server as an integration with the same requirements as any other. Who built it, what permissions does it have and where does it run?
Give servers least privilege and make actions that cannot be undone require approval. The specification assumes the user can deny a tool call.
What it means for you
Ask which MCP servers an AI tool connects to and what each of them may do. Every connection is a new way into your systems.
Common questions
Is MCP a product?
No. It is an open specification that anyone can use, and it is now governed by a foundation with no tie to any single supplier.
Is it safe to connect an MCP server?
That depends on the server and what it is allowed to do. Review it like any other integration and give it as little access as the task requires. Read more about least privilege.
Sources: The MCP specificationMCP joins the Agentic AI Foundation (2025)
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