What Is Model Context Protocol (MCP) | Cohere

This post introduces the Model Context Protocol (MCP) as an open standard for connecting AI applications to enterprise systems. It details MCP's client-server architecture, its components (host, client, server, transport mechanism), and the types of features it can expose (resources, tools, prompts). The post clarifies how MCP differs from APIs, RAG, function calling, and agents, positioning it as an integration layer. It outlines common enterprise use cases and emphasizes critical security and implementation considerations such as access control, authentication, authorization, server trust, tool safety, logging, and monitoring. The post also highlights Cohere's North platform as a solution for governed AI workflows.