Automating Developer Email with MCP and AI Agents

In this episode of AI + a16z, Resend founder and CEO Zeno Rocha sits down with a16z partner Yoko Li to discuss: - How generative AI — powered by agents and, now, MCP — is reshaping the email experience for developers, as well as the overall world of programming. - Zeno's obsession with developer experience has evolved into designing for "agent experience" — a new frontier where LLM-powered agents are not only building products but also operating within them. - How email, one of the most ubiquitous tools for developers and end users alike, is being reimagined for a future where agents send, parse, and optimize communication. - What it means to build agent-friendly APIs. - The emerging MCP protocol, and how AI is collapsing the creative loop for prosumers and developers alike. Learn more: Resend: https://resend.com/ What is AX (agent experience) and how to improve it: https://resend.com/blog/agent-experience A deep dive into MCP and the future of AI tooling: https://a16z.com/a-deep-dive-into-mcp-and-the-future-of-ai-tooling/ Dracula theme: https://draculatheme.com/ Follow everyone on X: Zeno Rocha - https://x.com/zenorocha Yoko Li - https://x.com/stuffyokodraws Check out everything a16z is doing with artificial intelligence, including articles, projects, and more podcasts, here: https://a16z.com/ai/ Chapters: 0:00 - 00:36 | Intro 00:37 - 02:16 | Developers Creating Agent Experience 02:17 - 04:06 | What Is Agent Experience? 04:07 - 07:29 | Email Is Being Redefined For A Future Where Agents Handle Communication.| 07:30 - 09:31 | New Competencies In AI 09:32 - 11:00 | Challenges In Email 11:01 - 13:05 | Future Experiences That Will Empower Consumers 13:06 - 18:19 | How Can Marketers Leverage Tech To Send High-Quality Emails 18:20 - 24:13 | Creating Agentic Workflow, MCP and The Evolving Ecosystem 24:14 - 27:43 | MCP’s Workflow, Adoption + Database 27:44 -32:48 | Creative Use Cases For Developers 32:49 - 35:52 | Advice For Developers Who Want To B