Inside the Agentic Shift: Reflections on MCP

We are witnessing yet another transformative shift in the world of application development, reminiscent of the game-changing introductions of the internet web stack in the late 1990s and the cloud-mobile evolution around 2008. Such pivotal moments inevitably rewrite the rules, reshaping industry landscapes, bringing down giants and elevating new players.

Two weeks ago, I attended the API Days conference in New York City, and the intensity of this ongoing transition was abundantly clear. Major application infrastructure providers vigorously competed to remain relevant, positioning themselves strategically by integrating support for intelligent agents into their offerings. While some companies effectively communicated their vision, the overall narrative felt incomplete. The critical missing piece is the lack of universally accepted standards and robust application development frameworks to guide the integration and communication of these intelligent agents.

Enter MCP—Model Context Protocol. Developed by Anthropic, MCP stands out for its simplicity and transformative potential. It allows intelligent agents seamless communication with existing systems, websites, and resources. Each legacy system or online platform can essentially become an MCP server, making it accessible and actionable by autonomous agents.

Microsoft prominently highlighted this development during their recent Build 2025 conference, demonstrating their deep commitment to MCP. Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer, Kevin Scott, underscored MCP’s importance, equating it to HTTP’s revolutionary role for the web. Reflecting this significant endorsement, Microsoft announced native MCP protocol support within Windows and integration across Azure and their evolving Windows AI architecture. Additionally, Microsoft is introducing NLWeb, a groundbreaking initiative designed to wrap existing websites in MCP compatibility, transforming every site into a functional MCP server. Satya Nadella, during his keynote address, emphasized that NLWeb would democratize both the creation and aggregation of intelligence, potentially disrupting current dominant web aggregators.

Google echoed this sentiment at their I/O conference by incorporating MCP support directly into the Gemini SDK. The convergence of two industry giants around MCP underscores the profound potential and strategic importance of the protocol.

As intelligent agents increasingly dominate technological discourse, MCP's role becomes pivotal. It offers a structured and effective way for AI agents to interact directly with the external digital environment, redefining possibilities for automation, integration, and intelligence democratization.

During this period of rapid technological shift, companies and organizations face significant challenges when attempting to build new capabilities, upgrade existing infrastructure, or invest in new IT systems. The uncertainty surrounding how this new technology will evolve, and influence future decisions leaves many hesitant. While some choose to remain cautious, waiting on the sidelines for clearer directions, others boldly move forward by aligning their strategies with the visions and frameworks provided by major technology companies. This calculated risk-taking and strategic alignment could significantly influence the competitive advantage and long-term success of organizations navigating this new technological era.

In summary, MCP isn’t just another technological protocol, it's rapidly becoming the foundational layer upon which the future of agent-based interactions will be built. Its implications stretch across industries, promising transformative shifts in both the structure and dynamics of technology markets.