Google’s A2A protocol aims to standardize how AI agents communicate with each other, while protocols like MCP standardize how they interact with tools and data.
At Google Cloud Next 2025, Google introduced Agent-to-Agent (A2A), an open protocol designed to enable AI agents to communicate, collaborate, and coordinate tasks across different systems. Supported by over 50 partners — including Salesforce, SAP, and Workday — the protocol establishes standards for agents to request capabilities, share task progress, and return results.
In addition to A2A, Google announced several advancements relevant to the AI space:
• Ironwood TPU: A new seventh-generation Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) chip from Google offers over ten times the performance of its predecessor, and is set for release in late 2025.
• Vertex AI Enhancements: Google introduced Agent Engine, a fully managed runtime for deploying and managing AI agents, and Agent Garden, a collection of ready-to-use samples and tools accessible within the Agent Development Kit (ADK).
• Google Workspace Updates: New AI tools in Docs, Sheets, and Chat were announced, along with Google Workspace Flows for automating workflows.
So what’s the difference between A2A and something like MCP, if both are ways for AI agents to connect to sources outside of their static training data?
Developers can view A2A as the framework for inter-agent collaboration and MCP as an interface for agents to access external data and toolsets. The two protocols are complementary and can be combined effectively: With A2A, agents can coordinate their actions and share status updates. MCP would allow these agents to access fresh, permissioned data and tools to inform its responses.
Dappier supports MCP through our real-time data server, providing agents with structured access to news, finance, weather, and more. Via MCP and RAG, Dappier real-time data is available for free across many of the leading AI frameworks and tools like Claude, Agent.ai, LangChain, and OpenAI’s GPTs.
→ Schedule a demo to learn how you can improve your AI with Dappier real-time data today.
