MCP Overview
Connect Elevate A/B Testing to an AI assistant using MCP, so you can ask about your experiment data in plain language instead of reading reports.
MCP lets you connect Elevate A/B Testing to an AI assistant so you can ask questions about your experiments in plain language. Instead of opening a report and reading it yourself, you ask your assistant something like "which experiments are running right now, and is any of them close to a winner," and it answers using live data from your store.
This page covers what the connection does, how to generate the API key every client needs, and how to pick the right setup path. If you already know which client you use, go straight to it:
What is MCP?
MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. It is an open standard that lets an AI assistant connect to an outside service and read data from it directly.
Without MCP, an AI assistant only knows what you paste into the chat. You would have to export a report, copy the numbers in, and ask your question. With MCP, the assistant queries Elevate A/B Testing itself, so it always sees your current data and you never copy anything.
The connection is read-only. Your assistant can look at your data and answer questions about it. It cannot create, start, pause, or end an experiment, and it cannot change any setting. It does not touch your Shopify store, your theme, or your storefront, and it has no effect on what visitors see.
What you need before you start
An Elevate A/B Testing account
MCP is available on every plan, with no upgrade required
A supported AI assistant
Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or Cursor
An API key
Generated in the app, covered below
Desktop or laptop
The extension and config file approaches both require a computer, not a phone
Every plan reaches MCP the same way, through Settings, then MCP. There is no separate tier, no feature flag, and nothing to request.
You do not need a developer for the Claude Desktop path. It is a download and a paste. The Claude Code and Cursor path involves editing a config file, which is routine for anyone already using those tools.
Where to find MCP in the app
Open Settings, then select MCP in the left sidebar. It sits below Store Setup.
The page has two sections: API key at the top, and Connect your AI assistant below it.
Generate your API key
The API key is what proves to Elevate A/B Testing that a request is coming from your store. Every client uses the same key.
Go to Settings, then MCP.
Find the API key section at the top of the page.
Copy the key. It begins with
elv_.
You get one key per store, and it works for every client listed on the page. If two people on your team use different assistants, they share the same key. If you manage several stores, each store has its own separate key.
Treat the key like a password. Anyone holding it can read your experiment data through the connection.
Choose your client
The two paths are genuinely different, and the app will not accept the wrong one.
Claude Desktop installs a small extension on your computer. You download a file from the Connect your AI assistant section, double-click it, and paste your API key when Claude asks. The version number and supported operating systems are shown next to the Download extension button.
Claude Code and Cursor connect straight to the Elevate A/B Testing server over HTTPS. There is nothing to install. You add a short block to a config file, or run a single terminal command, using this server address:
The two formats are not interchangeable. Claude Desktop does not accept the remote server configuration, so if you use Claude Desktop, use the extension.
What the assistant can access
[NEEDS VERIFICATION: the tool list. This section cannot ship without it. See the questions at the end of this page.]
Is this safe?
Two things worth understanding before you connect.
The connection is read-only. Your assistant reads your Elevate A/B Testing data and nothing more. There is no tool that writes, so an assistant cannot end an experiment, change traffic allocation, or edit a setting even if you ask it to. It also has no access to your Shopify admin, your customer records, or your storefront code.
Claude Desktop shows a security warning during install, and this is expected. When you install the extension, Claude warns you that it can access your computer and that the developer is not verified by Anthropic. That warning appears for every locally installed extension, not just this one, because Claude cannot inspect what any extension does and so warns about what any program could in principle do.
The Elevate A/B Testing extension is three files and roughly 150 lines of code. It reads the messages Claude sends it, forwards them to Elevate A/B Testing over HTTPS, and returns the reply. You can read the source yourself before installing. The Connect your AI assistant section provides the exact command for macOS and Windows.
Regenerate or revoke your key
Both actions are available in the API key section.
Regenerate
Issues a new key and invalidates the old one
A team member leaves, or you think the key was exposed
Revoke
Invalidates the key and leaves you without one
You want to switch the connection off entirely
Regenerating breaks every existing connection until each client is updated with the new key. If you use Claude Desktop, you do not need to reinstall the extension. Update the key in Claude under Settings, then Extensions, then Elevate A/B Testing.
Terminology note
The app labels this feature and its data using the word "test" in places where this documentation uses "experiment." They refer to the same thing. When you ask your assistant about your experiments, it will find them.
FAQs
Does connecting an AI assistant affect my running experiments?
No. The connection is read-only. It does not change traffic allocation, pause or start anything, or alter what visitors see on your store. Asking your assistant to make a change will not work, because no tool exists to do it.
Which plans include MCP?
All of them. MCP is available on every Elevate A/B Testing plan, and every plan reaches it the same way through Settings, then MCP.
Can my whole team use one key?
Yes. There is one key per store, and it is designed to be shared across your team and across clients.
I manage multiple stores. Do I need a key for each?
Yes. Keys are per store, so each store you manage has its own key and its own connection.
What happens if I regenerate my key?
Every client using the old key stops working until you paste in the new one. For Claude Desktop, update the key inside Claude rather than reinstalling the extension.
Can I use this on my phone?
No. Both setup paths require a desktop or laptop.
Next steps
Claude Desktop: Install the extension and connect
Claude Code and Cursor: Connect to the remote server
Reports Overview: Understand the data your assistant is reading
Glossary: Plain English definitions of every metric your assistant may mention
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