What is CIMD?

CIMD stands for Client ID Metadata Documents. It is an authentication setup mechanism between an MCP client and Originality.ai. Most users will never need to interact with it directly.

Traditionally, an OAuth application must register with a service before it can connect. The service gives the application a client ID and stores information such as its permitted callback URLs. That model becomes difficult with MCP because many different AI applications may want to connect to the same MCP server.

CIMD provides another approach. Instead of requiring Originality.ai to preregister every supported MCP client, the client can identify itself using an HTTPS URL. That URL contains a metadata document describing the client, including its name and approved redirect URLs.

In simplified form: MCP client → provides its metadata URL → Originality.ai verifies the metadata → you sign in → the connection is authorized

This allows compatible MCP clients to connect without Originality.ai creating a separate OAuth registration for every client. 

Is CIMD specific to ChatGPT and Claude?

No. CIMD is an OAuth client-registration mechanism used by Originality.ai’s MCP server. ChatGPT, Claude, and any other MCP client that supports CIMD can use it.

The sign-in experience remains familiar: your browser opens, you sign in to Originality.ai, approve access, and return to your MCP client. 

What if my MCP client does not support CIMD?

Support varies between MCP clients and versions. If a client supports CIMD, client registration can normally happen automatically. If it does not support CIMD, it is unfortunately incompatible with Originality.ai's MCP server.

Check your MCP client's documentation for CIMD or Client ID Metadata Document support.

What if the result card does not appear?

The absence of the interactive result card does not necessarily mean the MCP connection failed.

If your AI client can call the Originality.ai tools and receive scan results, authentication and the MCP connection are working. The client may simply not support the interactive interface used by Originality.ai.

Troubleshooting

I am being asked to sign in

This is expected when connecting Originality.ai for the first time or when a previous authorization has expired. Complete the sign-in and authorization process in your browser.

My MCP client says authentication is unsupported 

Make sure your client supports:

• Remote MCP servers
• OAuth authentication for MCP 
• Client ID Metadata Documents (CIMD)

Older MCP clients may not support the required authorization features.

My text cannot be scanned

Make sure the text contains between 100 and 50,000 words. If you have made many requests in a short period, wait a few minutes and try again.

If you receive an Insufficient credits message, check the available credits in your Originality.ai account. Team members must also have access to the required account credits.

The tool returns results as text, but the interactive result card is not displayed.

Your client may support MCP tools but not the interactive interface used by Originality.ai.

I previously connected successfully, but it stopped working

Disconnect and reconnect Originality.ai from your MCP client. This starts a new authorization flow and can resolve an expired or revoked authorization. If issues still persist, try fully uninstalling and reinstalling the MCP server.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to do to use the MCP server?

You'll need a compatible AI agent as well as an Originality.ai account with credits purchased at https://originality.ai/pricing or by clicking the Buy Subscription when signed in on https://app.originality.ai.

Do I need to understand MCP to use Originality.ai's MCP server?

No. Once the connection is configured, you can use Originality.ai by speaking naturally to your AI assistant.

Which AI allowance percentages can I use?

The supported allowances are 0%, 5%, 15%, 25%, 40%. If you do not specify one, the default is 15%.

Can I compare multiple allowances for the same text?

Yes. Ask the assistant to check the same text at two or more supported allowances. It will create the initial scan and reuse it for the additional allowance results.

Can I use Originality.ai's MCP server without the interactive result card?

Yes, provided your client supports Originality.ai MCP tools and authentication requirements.

Will every MCP client work?

No. MCP clients differ in the parts of the MCP specification and optional extensions they support.

ChatGPT and Claude are the recommended clients for the complete Originality.ai experience. Other clients may support some or all functionality.