Essent Introduces Essent AI Connect, an AI Connection Layer for PromoStandards Endpoints
Suppliers can now offer a Model Context Protocol (MCP) connector to authorized distributors, whether their endpoints are hosted by Essent or not.
Essent has introduced Essent AI Connect, an MCP Connector for PromoStandards, which turns the PromoStandards endpoints a supplier already operates into tools AI applications can use. It is available to any supplier with PromoStandards endpoints, regardless of who hosts them.
PromoStandards endpoints are already in place across the industry, and AI applications that support MCP are already in use. Essent AI Connect joins them together, and it does not require the supplier to move their current PromoStandards endpoints.
A supplier can use the connector internally, extend controlled access to authorized distributor customers, or both.
An AI assistant is capable, but without direct access to trusted business data, it does not know the business. Essent AI Connect extends the endpoints a supplier already operates into governed AI capabilities, giving authorized assistants and agents controlled access to curated business data while preserving the supplier's existing integration work.
MCP is the AI industry standard for connecting AI applications to business systems. API endpoints like PromoStandards expose functions but not in a way AI wants to work. MCP servers expose tools purpose-built for AI, with descriptions that tell an assistant what each tool does, when to use it, and what information to provide.
Essent adds the promotional products context, service mapping, and governance that make the connection useful.
"The industry is quickly adopting AI assistants and agents, but these applications don’t have direct access to the business they need in order to make accurate decisions, said Eric S. Alessi, CEO of Essent Corporation. Essent AI Connect provides controlled access in the form they need while leveraging industry standards, which is why we have developed MCP for PromoStandards.”
"The industry has standardized on PromoStandards for over a decade,” adds Steven Luisser, VP or Research. "Essent AI Connect builds on that investment, opening the door for the next generation of customer self-service, integration, and business automation — all in a form optimized for AI models.”
Access is governed by identity, role, and authorization. Credentials remain protected from the AI model, and suppliers control which capabilities and data employees and authorized customers can access.
The connector works with AI applications suppliers already use, including ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot Studio, and Gemini. Essent has verified functionality with ChatGPT, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot Studio.
During tool development, the company also tested against multiple versions of large language models from Anthropic and OpenAI to check usability and token efficiency, and has demonstrated the connector with customers using their own data.
Three editions are available for individuals, teams and enterprise users.
The connector is multi-tenant. Provisioning does not require installing software for an individual subscriber, and Essent does not modify a customer's existing installation.
Once a subscription quote is signed, an administrator provisions the account through a configuration process, and Essent follows with an onboarding session to help configure access within a supported MCP-enabled AI application.
"There is no software to install and nothing to build. If you have the credentials to your PromoStandards connection, that is the only requirement to use Essent AI Connect. Implementation can be as little as a day," Alessi said.