Connect AI

CData Connect AI is a managed Model Context Protocol (MCP) platform that provides live, read-write access to over 350 enterprise systems without replication or data movement. It is designed for product teams, IT departments, and business leaders who need to deliver governed, in-place data access for AI agents. The platform addresses the data infrastructure gaps that prevent AI from reaching production, as highlighted by CData's own State of AI Data Connectivity Report, which found that only 6% of organizations are satisfied with their current data infrastructure for AI and 71% of AI teams spend over a quarter of implementation time on data integration. Connect AI is built on three pillars: connectivity, context, and control, enabling AI agents to operate against live data with precise governance.

The platform works by connecting AI agents directly to business systems through a scoped MCP architecture. It offers three complementary tool types: Universal Tools provide a normalized set of operations across all 350+ systems, Source Tools expose system-specific operations for predictable execution, and Custom Tools allow organizations to define purpose-built operations with explicit data access limits. The new Connect Gateway extends reach to data sources behind the firewall, supporting SAP, SQL Server, and PostgreSQL. Connect AI preserves semantic context and relationships across systems, maintains data governance through inherited source permissions, and provides full audit trails. The platform supports protocols including MCP, ODBC/JDBC, REST/OData, and ADO.NET, and integrates with AI tools like Anthropic, Databricks, Google, Microsoft, n8n, and OpenAI.

In a benchmark test, CData Connect AI achieved 98.5% accuracy across 378 real-world prompts, outperforming competing MCP providers by 25+ percentage points. This positions Connect AI as a more accurate and governed alternative to building custom MCP integrations or using less comprehensive MCP platforms. The platform's ability to provide live, read-write access without data movement differentiates it from solutions that rely on data replication or ETL processes. Connect AI is particularly suited for enterprises that need to maintain data governance and security while enabling AI agents to access live data from systems like SAP, SQL Server, and PostgreSQL behind the firewall.

The primary trade-off is that Connect AI is a managed cloud service, which may not be suitable for organizations with strict data residency requirements or those that prefer fully on-premises solutions. The pricing model, which starts at $99/month for a single user and one data source, can become expensive as users and data sources scale, especially with Premium sources costing $299/month each. The platform's reliance on MCP means it is most effective with MCP-enabled AI tools, limiting flexibility for teams using other protocols. Additionally, while Connect AI supports over 350 systems, some niche or legacy systems may not be covered, requiring custom REST API connectors which may have additional complexity.

Standard: $99/month (1 user, 1 data source). Growth: $199/month (Standard, Growth, Premium sources, derived views). Business: annual contract, volume discounts, custom sources, pooled tool calls, premium support, enterprise SSO. Add-on users $29-$49/month; add-on sources $59-$299/month.