What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP) in Copilot Studio?

With the continuous evolution of technology, Microsoft continues to innovate to make work smarter and more efficient. Today, the release of support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP) in Microsoft Copilot Studio was announced. This new feature allows easy integration of apps and AI agents into Copilot Studio with just a few clicks.

What’s New: Integration of the Model Context Protocol

The MCP protocol allows authors to connect to knowledge servers and existing APIs directly from Copilot Studio. When connecting to an MCP server, actions and information are automatically added to the agent and updated as the functionality evolves. This simplifies the process of creating agents and reduces the time spent on their maintenance.

Advantages of the Model Context Protocol

• Easy Connection to Data Sources: Whether it’s a custom internal API or external data providers, the MCP protocol allows smooth and reliable integration into Copilot Studio.
• Access to Existing Server Marketplace: In addition to custom connectors and integrations, users can now access a growing library of pre-built and MCP-enabled connectors available in the marketplace.
• Flexible Action Capabilities: MCP servers can dynamically provide tools and data to agents, offering greater flexibility and reducing maintenance and integration costs.

Getting Started

To get started, access your agent in Copilot Studio, select “Add an action,” and search for your MCP server! This offering also includes support for the Software Development Kit (SDK), which allows further customization and flexibility for your integrations.

Creating Your MCP Server

The process of creating an MCP server can be divided into three key steps:

• Server Creation: The first step is to create a server using one of the available SDKs, which will serve as the foundation for managing your data, models, and interactions.
• Publishing via a Connector: Once the server is created, the next step is to create a custom connector that links the Copilot Studio environment to the data source or model.
• Data Consumption via Copilot Studio: Finally, once the server is configured and the connector is defined, you can start consuming data and interacting with models through Copilot Studio.

Boom Done 💣

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