Glossary
The handful of terms you'll hear, in one sentence each.
AI agent. Software that acts for someone: it reads, decides and takes steps, like booking an appointment or comparing payments, rather than only chatting.
MCP (Model Context Protocol). The shared way AI agents use software. A Linux Foundation project, spoken by ChatGPT, Claude and the major agent platforms. More.
MCP server. The layer a vendor adds to its product so agents can use it.
Agent-ready. A tool with a working MCP server that agents can actually understand and use.
The gateway. One open front door for agents on a dealer's website, which any website company can host and which connects to the dealer's tools. More.
The handshake. The few things tools agree on so they can pass a customer between them safely: who authorized what, consent, and which store. More.
Consent receipt. A signed record of what a customer agreed to be contacted about, which any tool can verify. More.
Agent-to-agent (A2A). One agent working with another, for example a shopper's agent talking to a dealer's agent.
Rooftop. One physical dealership location. A dealer group has many.
Tool. One action an agent can take through MCP, such as "search inventory" or "book a service slot".