Recent announcements from Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Cisco or Salesforce, surrounding Agent-to-Agent (A2A) protocols and Model Context Protocols (MCPs) are signaling a pivotal shift in how artificial intelligence connects across systems. These open standards – described by some as “USB ports for AI” – promise plug-and-play compatibility between AI agents, tools, and services, much like connecting a display or power cable to a USB Type-C port.
The good news for digital signage developers: these open, standardized protocols are expected to streamline the development and integration of AI agents. In sectors like digital signage, where many software providers still struggle to build in-house AI solutions due to limited resources or technical volatility, this offers a critical path forward.
Implications for Digital Signage
For digital signage software companies, the emergence of A2A and MCPs could be game-changing:
- Simplified AI Integration: Vendors no longer need to develop every AI feature from scratch. Instead, they can integrate third-party AI services – such as translation tools or voice interfaces – just as they already rely on microservices in the cloud. The standardization also makes it easier to switch between AI providers as the landscape evolves.
- Opening CMS Functionality: MCPs enable digital signage content management systems to connect more seamlessly with external AI applications. This is a significant advantage for agencies and partners looking to build customized user interfaces or integrate signage into broader client workflows using AI. It also positions CMS platforms with API-first designs ahead of legacy systems that depend on custom coding for each integration.
Strategic Considerations
At this stage, MCPs appear more relevant to digital signage than fully agentic A2A approaches, as the immediate demand is for process automation. That said, technical standardization is likely to usher in new commercial models. Traditional licensing could give way to consumption – or token-based billing – potentially making scaled AI applications more expensive, while opening new monetization opportunities through modular services.
As the AI ecosystem matures, protocols like MCP are set to play a vital role in bringing agility, flexibility, and scalability to digital signage platforms.
What do the acronyms stand for?
- A2A = Agent-to-Agent, a protocol originally developed by Google to coordinate collaboration between different agents. The standard is now managed by the Linux foundation and supported by more than 100 companies including heavyweights like Amazon Web Services, Cisco, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAP, and ServiceNow
- MCP = Model Context Protocol, an open-source project run by Anthropic to enable users to build complex workflows on top of LLMs (Large Language Models). MCPs standardize the ways that LLMs can access data, tools, and other resources
- A2A and MCP are complementary
