The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is emerging as a standard for AI integration, enabling seamless connections between large language models (LLMs) and tools, data, and workflows. Often described as the 'USB-C of AI,' MCP simplifies the process of integrating AI systems with various resources by standardizing context-sharing protocols. Introduced by Anthropic in November 2024, MCP has rapidly gained adoption among developers and enterprises. OpenAI and Microsoft have announced their support for MCP, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman highlighting its significance. This protocol addresses key challenges in AI integration, such as inconsistent model behavior, lack of interoperability, and scalability issues. The MCP ecosystem includes a growing library of over 300 open-source servers, which have collectively garnered 20.8K+ stars on GitHub. These servers enable AI models to interact with databases, APIs, browsers, and other tools, allowing developers to build applications without maintaining hundreds of custom integrations. MCP is positioned as an alternative to traditional API-based models, with its proponents citing its ability to streamline AI integration and reduce complexity. Backed by major players like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Microsoft, MCP is poised to become a universal standard for AI systems, akin to HTTP for the internet.