The Model Context Protocol (MCP) Explained — Why It’s the "USB-C for AI"

by kirupa (https://www.kirupa.com/me/index.htm) | filed under Web FUNdamentals (https://www.kirupa.com/web/index.htm)

I’m back with Den Delimarsky (https://den.dev/) to talk about the Model Context Protocol (MCP) — the open standard that’s quietly transforming how AI assistants connect to data, tools, and services.

We unpack what MCP is, why it matters, and how it’s becoming the foundation for agentic workflows, developer tools, and authentic AI experiences. Watch the full conversation below:

Besides Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI8ybMqORck&list=PL478wQWRhpfa3g6t2maEDJQRFTBPGxTFe), you can listen/watch on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5v2jquJylUg5PCmcjkf320) and Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kirupa/id1650505117) as well if that is your jam!

The TL;DR

The Model Context Protocol is to AI what HTTP was to the web — a universal connector that lets AI assistants securely access real-world data and tools.

It’s open, extensible, and vendor-neutral, designed to help AI work with humans instead of replacing them. MCP provides the “plumbing” for the magic behind next-gen assistants and agentic systems. We dive into this and more, and the following section headings and timestamp can help you jump to any topic that catches your eye.

0:00 – Intro: Setting the Stage

1:00 – Origins of MCP

2:20 – What Is MCP?

4:30 – Why Not Just Use REST APIs?

7:00 – Local vs Hosted MCP Servers

8:00 – Developer Adoption & Tooling

9:00 – Discoverability & The MCP Registry

11:30 – Security & Trust Challenges

16:00 – Competing MCP Implementations

19:30 – Why Neutrality Matters

21:00 – The Road Ahead for MCP

25:00 – Avoiding Fragmentation & The Power of Community

31:00 – Lessons from History: Standards Win

33:00 – Agents and the Coming Paradigm Shift

39:00 – AI Ethics & Authenticity

44:00 – Democratization vs AI Slop

52:00 – Empowerment Through AI

59:00 – Taste and the Future of Work

1:06:00 – AGI, Creativity, and Human Uniqueness

1:15:00 – SpecKit, Guardrails, and the Future of Coding

1:18:00 – Expertise Still Matters

1:21:00 – Agentic Workflows and the SR Agent Future

1:24:00 – Cutting Through the Hype

1:25:30 – Conclusion: Plumbing for the Magic

Conclusion

MCP shows that progress in AI isn’t just about smarter models — it’s about better connections. By setting a common standard, we’re paving the way for tools that truly work together. Thanks for joining Den and me on this deep dive, and see you in the next episode!