AWS updates AgentCore Gateway to support MCP 2026-07-28
Amazon Web Services announced support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP) 2026-07-28 specification in AgentCore Gateway, its managed service for agent infrastructure, according to AWS's machine learning blog. The update represents the largest revision to the protocol since its introduction and introduces three major architectural changes: stateless operation, governed extensions, and strengthened authorization.
Protocol Moves to Stateless Architecture
The 2026-07-28 version fundamentally changes how MCP operates across distributed systems. AWS stated that with this release MCP becomes a stateless protocol that scales on ordinary HTTP infrastructure, eliminating dependencies on persistent connections and reducing operational overhead for enterprises deploying agents at scale. This shift aligns with cloud-native patterns already dominant in containerized and serverless deployments.
Security and Governance Enhancements
The revision also introduces a governed extensions system and strengthens authorization mechanisms. AWS said the update establishes lifecycle guarantees that limit future breakage while bringing the protocol into closer alignment with OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect standards. These changes address operational concerns around long-term compatibility and reduce friction for enterprises integrating agents with existing identity and access management infrastructure.
Adoption Path for AgentCore Gateway Users
AWS AgentCore Gateway now supports four protocol versions: 2025-03-26, 2025-06-18, 2025-11-25, and 2026-07-28, according to the announcement. Users can enable the new specification by calling the `UpdateGateway` API operation and adding 2026-07-28 to the `supportedVersions` parameter. This multi-version support allows gradual migration without forcing immediate adoption.
The 2026-07-28 specification also appears in the official Model Context Protocol documentation, indicating broader ecosystem alignment beyond AWS's single implementation. The protocol, which defines how language models interact with external tools and data sources, has become critical infrastructure for autonomous agent deployments across enterprise and startup environments.
The announcement reflects ongoing maturation in the agent infrastructure layer, where stateless operation and standardized security patterns reduce barriers to production deployment. As enterprises increasingly evaluate agent adoption, protocol stability and OAuth 2.0 alignment remove common integration friction points that previously required custom middleware solutions.