WebMCP Early Preview: A New Web Standard for AI Agents

What Is WebMCP?

The Google Chrome team has announced the early preview of WebMCP (Web Model Context Protocol), a new web standard designed to create a structured communication channel between websites and AI agents. The goal is to make web services more reliable and performant for AI-driven workflows.

The Problem with Current Approaches

Today, AI agents typically interact with websites by navigating the DOM or reading visual output — a process prone to trial-and-error, slowdowns, and errors. Tasks like booking flights, processing support tickets, or completing e-commerce transactions suffer from this ambiguity. WebMCP aims to eliminate it entirely.

Two Interaction Models

Declarative API: For standard HTML form-based actions. Simple, compatible with existing web infrastructure, and ideal for straightforward interactions.

Imperative API: For complex, dynamic JavaScript-driven interactions. Designed for advanced workflows requiring real-time processing and custom logic.

Why It Matters

WebMCP acts as a bridge, making websites agent-ready by letting owners explicitly define interaction methods. This removes ambiguity and enables faster, more accurate agent workflows — a critical capability as AI automation becomes central to enterprise operations.

For developers building AI agents, WebMCP promises to significantly reduce the overhead of navigating arbitrary web interfaces. For site operators, it offers a standardized way to expose services to AI while maintaining control over the interaction model.

Getting Involved

The Chrome team is inviting developers to join the early preview program, prototype with the new APIs, and stay updated on developments. As AI agent adoption accelerates, WebMCP has the potential to become a foundational standard for the web's agentic future.