Free Lesson
APIs, CLIs, MCPs, Oh My! A PM's Guide to Agent Interfaces
Part of The Agent-Powered Super IC
30 min
May 29, 2026 1:00 PM
What you'll learn
How does each paradigm work under the hood?
APIs, CLIs, and MCPs aren't *actually* interchangeable. Let's discuss the definitions and nuances.
Walk through a real product that ships all three
We'll dissect a product with an API, a CLI, and MCP support – showing how each layer serves different users and agents.
Which interfaces to build, which to use, and which to ignore
Whether you're shipping a product or using AI agents day-to-day, you need a mental model for what's worth your time.
Why this topic matters
The AI agent era is fragmenting how products are accessed – not just by humans through UIs, but by agents through APIs, CLIs, and the emerging MCP protocol. If you're a PM, designer, or GTM leader, this isn't just an engineering decision anymore. It affects your product's surface area, distribution, and how AI tools discover and interact with what you've built. And it's changing every day.
You'll learn from
Sherveen Mashayekhi
Founder & CEO @ Free Agency, AI Product Leader & Investor
Clients hired at companies like...
