What Model Context Protocol (MCP) means
Introduced by Anthropic in 2024, MCP lets an assistant like Claude read files, query a database or act in an app through a server that exposes those abilities. Only connect servers you trust, since they can take real actions.
Why it matters for your website
MCP lets AI assistants connect to the tools you already use, such as your CMS, analytics or files, without a custom build for each one. That can save time on routine tasks like pulling reports or drafting content. It also means you need to think carefully about what data and actions an AI can reach.
Example
A marketing manager connects an AI assistant to her analytics account through an MCP server. She asks for last month's top landing pages and gets an answer without exporting a report.
Tips
- Only connect MCP servers from sources you trust, and review what access each one requests.
- Give AI connections read-only access when they don't need to make changes.
- Turn off connections you no longer use.
Common mistakes
- Granting an AI tool full write access to your live website or customer data without review.
- Installing unknown MCP servers without checking who built them or what they do.
Questions about Model Context Protocol (MCP)
What is Model Context Protocol (MCP)?
An open standard for connecting AI assistants to tools and data sources.
Who created the Model Context Protocol?
Anthropic introduced MCP as an open standard, and it has since been adopted by many other AI tools and companies.
Is MCP safe to use with business data?
It can be, if you use trusted servers and limit permissions. Treat every connection like giving software access to your accounts, and watch for risks like prompt injection.
