The National Institute of Standards and Technology is reportedly considering the termination of up to 500 employees, which could further jeopardize the stability of its fledgling AI safety organization.

According to a report by Axios, the US AI Safety Institute (AISI) and Chips for America, both of which are under the NIST umbrella, are expected to undergo significant staff reductions, primarily targeting employees in their probationary period. Bloomberg also reported that some employees have already received verbal notification of their impending terminations.

The future of AISI was already uncertain prior to the recent layoff announcements. Established last year as part of former President Joe Biden’s executive order on AI safety, the institute is tasked with investigating risks and developing standards for AI development. However, President Donald Trump repealed the order upon taking office, and the director of AISI departed the position earlier in February.

Fortune consulted with various AI safety and policy organizations, all of which expressed criticism regarding the reported layoffs.

“If confirmed, these cuts would significantly impair the government’s ability to research and address critical AI safety concerns, which are more crucial now than ever,” stated Jason Green-Lowe, executive director of the Center for AI Policy.