A2A refers to direct communication between AI agents. In a multi-agent system, one agent may complete part of a task and pass context, data, or a subtask to a second agent that picks up the next step — without a human routing anything manually. This requires a shared protocol where both agents understand what is being passed, in what format, and what action is expected next.
Most real enterprise workflows are not linear. They span multiple systems, require different skills at different stages, and involve decision points that no single agent can handle alone. A2A makes it possible to break a complex process into specialized agents that each handle one part and then collaborate seamlessly.
Take a customer refund request. One agent reads the submission and checks eligibility. A second pulls the original order history. A third initiates the refund in the payment system. None of this requires a human to hand things off at each step — the agents communicate directly using a shared protocol. That is A2A in action.
