===== Breaking news: A2A and MCP - Better together! =====
  * **Speaker**: Justin Castilla  
  * **Room**: CC 234  
  * **Time**: Sat 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm  

  * **Format**: Lecture (30 Min + Q&A)  
  * **Difficulty**: Introductory  
  * **Track**: AI / ML  
  * **Presenter Location**: In-person  
  * **Experience**: umpteenth time speaking  

==== Description: ====  
Modern AI applications are evolving beyond single chatbots into networks of specialized agents working together. **Agent2Agent (A2A)** is a protocol that enables AI agents to communicate and collaborate — for example, in a digital newsroom where a Reporter agent writes stories, a Researcher gathers facts, an Editor reviews quality, and an Archive agent retrieves historical context. A2A coordinates *who talks to whom*.

But each agent also needs access to tools and data. This is where **Model Context Protocol (MCP)** comes in, providing standardized access to databases, APIs, and other resources. MCP handles *what tools each agent can use*.

This talk demonstrates how A2A and MCP complement each other through a practical newsroom example. Attendees will learn:

  * When to use A2A for multi‑agent coordination  
  * When to use MCP for tool and data integration  
  * How to implement both protocols in real applications  
  * Why combining them leads to more maintainable, scalable systems  

Developers will leave with a clear understanding of how to build distributed agent systems that leverage specialization, autonomy, and standardized tool access to accomplish complex workflows that single agents struggle to handle efficiently.

**Target Audience:**  
  * AI/ML developers  
  * ML DevOps practitioners