The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard designed to help AI systems, like large language models, connect to the outside world. Think of it like a universal adapter, similar to a USB port, but for AI. Before MCP, every integration an AI needed—whether to access a database, check a calendar, or search a file system—required a separate, custom-built connector. This was inefficient and difficult to scale. MCP provides a single, standardized framework, allowing AI to seamlessly access external data and tools. This enables AI agents to go beyond their training data to perform real-world tasks and provide more relevant, context-aware responses.