API: definition

An API is a defined way for two pieces of software to talk to each other, and it is how an AI system reads from and writes to the tools a business already runs.

An API is the socket one system exposes so another can plug in: send a request in an agreed format, get a structured response back. It is the plumbing behind almost all integration.

It matters here because it is how we connect AI to your world without ripping anything out: the model reads your CRM, books in your calendar, and updates your database through the APIs those tools already offer.

Related terms

Model Context Protocol (MCP): The Model Context Protocol is an open standard that lets an AI model connect to external tools and data sources through one consistent interface, instead of a custom integration for each one.
Workflow automation: Workflow automation is the practice of moving a repeatable business process from manual steps to a system that runs it end to end, with a person involved only where judgement is actually needed.
Structured output: Structured output is when a model is made to return data in a strict format such as JSON, so another system can use the result directly instead of parsing free text.