Model Context Protocol (MCP)
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard from Anthropic that lets an AI agent connect to an external system's data and actions in a consistent way. It is general infrastructure rather than a commerce-specific standard, but it is one way an agent can reach a store's catalog and tools.
How it works
A system exposes an MCP server that describes what data and actions it offers; any agent that speaks MCP can then query it without a custom integration. WooCommerce shipped an MCP integration as a developer preview in late 2025, for example.
A commerce example
Where ACP is built specifically to list and sell products inside ChatGPT, MCP is broader plumbing: an agent might use MCP to read a store's data and a commerce protocol to complete the purchase.
What this means for your store
MCP is a developer-level rail, not a setting an owner flips, and it is not where most stores are winning today. Useful to recognize the term, but your time is better spent on complete product data.