The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI applications connect to external data sources and tools in a consistent way. For investment teams, that means you can plug alternative data into the same AI assistants and workflows you already use, instead of copying data between systems or building one-off integrations. This post explains what MCP is, why it matters for alternative data, and how teams are using it.
What is the Model Context Protocol?
MCP defines how AI clients (e.g. Claude, Cursor, or custom agents) talk to servers that expose data and capabilities. In practi