How to connect Pega AI Agent to external MCP server

This knowledge-sharing article demonstrates how to integrate a Pega AI Agent with an external MCP (Model Context Protocol) server and leverage external tools seamlessly during case processing.

Pega Infinity version used: 25.1.3

How to configure

Step 1 - Create a Connect MCP rule and specify an MCP server end-point URL.

In this example, I used a sample MCP that converts a time between different time zones.

https://date-time-tools.iabhishek.workers.dev/mcp

Step 2 - Click Test connectivity.

If successful, it will display the available tools.

Step 3 - Configure an AI Agent rule and add the Connect MCP rule created above.

Go to the Advanced Tools tab.

Add the Connect MCP rule under the External Agents and Tools section.

Note: In App Studio, the Advanced Tool tab didn’t appear that I had to switch to Dev Studio to configure that.

Step 4 - Open the case type to add the AI Agent.

Under the UX tab, add the AI Agent rule to the Full Page View > Agents section.

Runtime behavior

Step 1 - create a new case and click the Chat with AI icon at the bottom-right corner

Step 2 - Ask ‘What can you do for me?

The response demonstrates the AI Agent’s ability to invoke an external MCP tool to perform time zone conversions and return the converted time values during case processing.

Step 3 - Ask ‘Convert current time to Korean time.

The AI Agent invokes the external MCP tool and returns the corresponding time converted to the requested time zone.

Step 4 - Run AI Tracer to confirm the invocation to the external MCP server tool.

In the AI tracer window, we can confirm that the convertTimezones tool had been invoked to get the converted time.

That matches one of the available tools exposed by the external MCP server.

Additional notes

  • This was my first implementation integrating a Pega AI Agent with an external MCP server. The setup and configuration were straightforward, while the resulting capabilities were both powerful and compelling.
  • The combination of Pega’s agentic capabilities and MCP’s standardized tool-access model opens up exciting possibilities for extending enterprise workflows with external systems and services.

Other references (MCP)

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Please feel free to leave any question or comment.

10 Likes

Great example, coming in Pega Infinity 26 , MCP Services will be added and the ability to call MCP connectors configured in a step. New AI Expert Circle posts coming soon!

4 Likes

That will be very practical. Thanks for the update!

@Will_Cho Thanks for sharing this article. I’ve successfully implemented as stated above. The combination of Pega Agent and external MCP opens up greater business value opportunities.

1 Like

Good to know @JayshreeR17838093 looking forward for that.

@WilliamH17722307 Thanks for sharing. Just curious did you get the Auth profile working in Connect MCP? If yes which type was working for you.

For this example, I didn’t have to use auth profile.