The USB-C of AI apps
– The Verge
Recently, the term MCP has gained significant traction in artificial intelligence and software development.
MCP stands for Model Context Protocol – an open standard designed to securely connect AI models with external data and tools in a flexible, efficient manner.
Why is MCP Important?
Modern AIs like large language models (LLMs) are powerful but traditionally “isolated”: They can analyze text or generate code, but can’t access files, execute functions in real systems, or interact with business applications. MCP solves this by bridging AI with the real world, enabling:
- Secure access to files, databases, and live resources
- Execution of external functions/tools directly from AI
- Integration with APIs and enterprise services
- Orchestration of complex workflows combining multiple tools
MCP Example: Asking ChatGPT for the Current Time
Imagine you ask ChatGPT directly:
“What time is it?”
Without access to real-time data or external tools, ChatGPT cannot know the current time — it can only guess or say it doesn’t have access to live information.
Now, imagine ChatGPT is connected to an MCP tool that provides access to the system clock or a time API. When you ask:
“What time is it?”
The MCP client sends this request to the MCP server, which runs a time tool that fetches the exact current time from your device or an online source. The AI then returns the accurate, up-to-the-second time to you.
This simple example shows how MCP empowers AI models to go beyond static knowledge and interact dynamically with the real world — providing accurate, actionable information on demand.
Applications and Use Cases
Leading platforms already use MCP:
- Business Automation: Internal assistants querying CRMs/knowledge bases in real-time.
- Software Development: IDEs like Zed use MCP for code assistants accessing project context.
- Web Development: Wix integrates MCP for dynamic content editing.
- DevOps: Automating workflows in GitHub, Argo CD, and more.
- Real-Time Data Access: Tools like the time example above, weather updates, stock prices, etc.
Imagine an AI that doesn’t just guess what you need — it knows your world, from your Google Drive to your GitHub repo. That’s the promise of MCP.
– R. Thompson (PhD)
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