Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the rapid rise of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) in the AI industry, particularly following Baidu's recent announcements and support for MCP, which is seen as a pivotal development for AI applications and developer engagement [1][3][20]. Summary by Sections MCP Overview - MCP stands for Model Context Protocol, an open standard introduced by Anthropic to unify communication between large language models and external data sources or tools [4][6]. - It serves as a "universal socket" for AI applications, allowing for standardized interfaces that facilitate interaction with various external tools and data sources [6][8]. Importance of MCP - Initially launched in November 2024, MCP did not gain much attention until early 2025 when several prominent applications began to adopt it, marking its transition to a de facto standard in AI interactions [9][10]. - The adoption of MCP has been driven by both developer acceptance and the integration of major model providers, including OpenAI, Google, Baidu, and others, which has significantly increased its visibility and utility [10][12]. Baidu's Strategic Moves - Baidu has committed to fully supporting MCP, launching the world's first e-commerce transaction MCP and search MCP services, thereby enhancing its AI ecosystem [12][19]. - The company aims to create a comprehensive MCP ecosystem, integrating its core platforms and applications to attract developers and partners [18][20]. Developer Benefits - MCP simplifies the development process for AI applications by reducing the need for multiple interface adaptations, thus increasing efficiency and lowering costs [14][15]. - Developers can now integrate various functionalities into their applications with minimal configuration, akin to building with blocks [14][15]. Future Outlook - The article suggests that the adoption of MCP could lead to a significant explosion in AI applications by 2025, similar to the mobile internet boom driven by technological advancements [15][20]. - Baidu's strategy positions it to compete effectively in the global AI landscape, leveraging its full-stack capabilities across various layers of AI technology [19][21].