[citation needed] PFA provides a way for analytic applications to describe and exchange predictive models produced by analytics and machine learning algorithms.

It supports common models such as logistic regression and decision trees.

Subsequent versions have been developed by the Data Mining Group.

[1] As a predictive model interchange format developed by the Data Mining Group, PFA is complementary to the DMG's XML-based standard called the Predictive Model Markup Language or PMML.

[2] The Data Mining Group is a consortium managed by the Center for Computational Science Research, Inc., a nonprofit founded in 2008.