The head of the Trump administration's federal artificial intelligence testing office is stepping down after just three months on the job, leaving a key AI standards agency without permanent leadership as the administration weighs its long-term approach to regulating the rapidly evolving technology, Axios reported on Monday.

Chris Fall, director of the Commerce Department's Center for AI Standards and Innovation, has resigned, the department confirmed Monday.

Commerce spokesman Benno Kass confirmed Fall's departure, but provided no reason for the resignation.

Fall was appointed in April to lead the newly reorganized office after the Trump administration renamed the former U.S. AI Safety Institute the Center for AI Standards and Innovation.

The center is responsible for developing testing and evaluation methods for advanced artificial intelligence systems, and for supporting the creation of technical standards intended to promote the safe deployment of AI technologies.

His departure comes as the administration continues debating how aggressively the federal government should oversee artificial intelligence while encouraging innovation and maintaining U.S. competitiveness.

The vacancy leaves one of the federal government's primary AI standards offices without a permanent director during a pivotal period for national AI policy.

"Following Chris's departure, NIST Director Dr. Arvind Raman will continue to oversee CAISI and will serve as Acting CAISI Director," Commerce spokeswoman Kristen Eichamer said in a statement to Axios.

Raman, who was sworn in as director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology on June 30, will assume the additional responsibilities while the administration searches for a permanent replacement.

A former engineering dean at Purdue University, Raman now oversees NIST, the Commerce Department agency that houses CAISI and plays a central role in developing technical standards for emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.