Jargon busting: APIs, MCPs and AI explained

“As comfortable with lines of code as we are with human sources, as fluent in Python as we are in multiple other languages.”
— Blaise Metreweli

APIs. MCPs. AI.
You hear these terms everywhere — but what do they actually mean, and how do they work in practice?

This ASC Lab is designed to strip away the jargon and help you understand the tools that are shaping modern survey and data workflows, in a clear and practical way.

No hype. No assumptions. Just hands-on understanding.

What we’ll cover

• Plain-English explanations of APIs, MCPs and AI

• How these tools actually work behind the scenes

• Hands-on examples of calling an API and working with live data

• Using AI tools to support coding and data tasks (sensibly and safely)

• How code, APIs and AI fit together in real workflows

This session focuses on clarity and confidence, not technical depth.

Who this Lab is for

• Researchers and survey professionals hearing these terms every day

• People who want to understand the tools, not just talk about them

• Anyone who feels they should “get” APIs or AI but isn’t quite there yet

• Those who attended Lab 1 and want to build on the basics

You don’t need to be a programmer. You don’t need advanced technical knowledge.

Why attend

By the end of this Lab, you’ll:

• Understand what APIs, MCPs and AI actually are

• Know when they’re useful — and when they’re not

• Feel more confident talking about and using these tools

• Be better equipped to spot practical opportunities in your own work

This Lab is about replacing uncertainty with understanding.