Definition
Model Context Protocol (MCP)
An open protocol, created by Anthropic in 2024 and donated to the Linux Foundation's Agentic AI Foundation in December 2025, that lets AI assistants like Claude, ChatGPT, and Copilot query external tools and data sources directly with user permission.
MCP has become the de facto integration layer for AI-native workflows. A well-designed MCP server makes a product queryable from any AI interface, which structurally changes how AI-native knowledge workers discover and adopt tools.
In competitive intelligence specifically, MCP turns any Claude user's chat interface into a CI console. This is how Clinch integrates with Claude.ai on the Pro tier.
Related terms
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