What is model context protocol (MCP)?

This episode of Techsplainers explores the Model Context Protocol (MCP), a standard introduced by Anthropic that enables AI models to interact with external tools, data, and functions. Building on our earlier discussions of agent-to-agent communication protocols, we examine how MCP serves a complementary purpose by connecting individual models to resources outside their training data. The discussion covers MCP's four key capabilities: tool calling, file access, resource access, and prompt templates, along with its JSON-RPC implementation. We highlight MCP's strong security features, including sandboxing, permission management, and auditability, which create a controlled environment for model-tool interactions. The episode explains how MCP works alongside agent communication protocols like A2A, creating a layered approach where AI systems can leverage both individual capabilities and collaborative potential. As this standard continues to evolve, we can expect more specialized tool libraries and deeper integration with multi-agent frameworks. Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/model-context-protocol Find more episodes https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast Narrated by Cole Stryker