Microsoft and GitHub Back Anthropic's MCP Standard for AI Integration
At the Microsoft Build 2025 conference, GitHub and its parent company Microsoft announced their participation in the Model Connection Protocol (MCP) Steering Committee, a standard developed by AI firm Anthropic. This protocol aims to streamline connections between AI models and data storage systems, following earlier endorsements from OpenAI and Google.
Source: AI-generated image licensed by Midjourney
The MCP framework enables AI models to pull information from various sources—including business tools, software libraries, and development environments—to execute specific tasks. Developers can establish bidirectional links between data repositories and AI applications like chatbots through "MCP servers" and corresponding client interfaces.
Microsoft revealed plans to integrate MCP support across its ecosystem, including Azure cloud services and Windows 11. Within months, Windows developers will be able to expose application functionalities to MCP-compatible AI models. This includes core system features such as file management, window controls, and subsystem operations.
Security remains a priority in this expansion. Microsoft's identity team collaborated with Anthropic to design updated authorization protocols, allowing secure access to MCP servers via trusted authentication methods. Users can grant permissions for AI applications to access sensitive data while maintaining control over their information.
GitHub contributed to the initiative by developing a centralized registration service for MCP servers. This repository enables developers to catalog public or private server configurations, simplifying discovery and management of MCP implementations.
Key Points
- Microsoft and GitHub join forces with Anthropic to advance the MCP standard for AI-data integration
- The protocol enables bidirectional communication between AI models and diverse data sources
- Windows 11 and Azure will soon feature native MCP support for developer tools
- Enhanced security protocols ensure safe data access through trusted authentication
- GitHub introduces a registry service to streamline MCP server management