MCP and the innovation paradox: Why open standards will save AI from itself

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More Bigger models aren’t driving the next wave of AI innovation. The real disruption is quieter: Standardization. Launched by Anthropic in November 2024, the Model Context Protocol (MCP) standardizes how AI applications interact with the world beyond their training data. Much like HTTP and REST standardized how web applications connect to services, MCP standardizes how AI models connect to tools. You’ve probably read a dozen articles explaining what MCP is. But what most miss is the boring — and powerful — part: MCP is a standard. Standards don’t just organize technology; they create growth flywheels. Adopt them early, and you ride the wave. Ignore them, and you fall behind. This article explains why MCP matters now, what challenges it introduces, and how it’s already reshaping the ecosystem. How MCP moves us from chaos to context Meet Lily, a product manager ... Read full article.