A2A (Agent-to-Agent) is a proposed open standard introduced by Google for enabling interoperability between AI agents developed by different providers. The goal of A2A is to create a common framework that allows AI agents—such as personal assistants, task bots, or domain-specific agents—to communicate, collaborate, and delegate tasks to each other, regardless of their underlying platform or developer.
Background and Purpose:
As the ecosystem of AI agents grows, many users may interact with multiple agents from different companies (e.g., a travel planner, a shopping assistant, and a calendar agent). Without a shared communication protocol, these agents function in isolation, making it difficult to deliver a seamless user experience. A2A aims to solve this by establishing a standardized method for agents to talk to each other—much like how different email services use the same protocols to send and receive messages.
Key Features:
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Interoperability: A2A is designed to work across different companies, platforms, and devices, promoting collaboration rather than competition between AI systems.
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User-Centric: The standard emphasizes giving users control over how their agents interact and share data, with a strong focus on privacy and security.
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Agent Communication: Agents can initiate conversations, respond to requests, and delegate tasks to other agents via a shared protocol.
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Open Ecosystem: A2A is intended to be an open standard, inviting developers and organizations to adopt and contribute to its evolution.
Use Cases:
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A calendar agent coordinating with a travel agent to adjust flight bookings when a meeting changes.
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A shopping assistant delegating a payment task to a trusted finance agent.
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An AI assistant retrieving information from another domain-specific expert agent (e.g., legal or medical).
Vision:
Google envisions A2A as a foundational step toward a more connected, intelligent agent ecosystem, where users can benefit from AI working across service boundaries in a cooperative way. The goal is to move beyond isolated assistants toward a web of AI agents that can dynamically interact and serve users more effectively—regardless of who built them.
In summary, A2A (Agent-to-Agent) is about building a common language and protocol for AI agents to communicate and collaborate across systems. It marks a shift toward openness and cooperation in the AI landscape, enabling a new era of interconnected intelligent agents.