MCP servers defined: what they are & how they work | Cognism

An MCP server is a program that uses the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to give AI applications a standard way to reach external tools, data, and prompts, instead of a custom integration for every source. A host application, such as an AI assistant, connects to it as a client to retrieve or act on data. MCP servers matter because they let AI tools reach governed, up-to-date data through a single consistent interface, rather than a fresh build for each tool.