The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has concluded that COVID-19 "more likely" originated from a Chinese research lab leak but cautioned that it has "low confidence" in its finding, according to an assessment released on Saturday.

"CIA assesses with low confidence that a research-related origin of the COVID-19 pandemic is more likely than a natural origin based on the available body of reporting. CIA continues to assess that both research-related and natural origin scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic remain plausible," said an agency spokesperson, according to Fox News.

"We have low confidence in this judgment and will continue to evaluate any available credible new intelligence reporting or open-source information that could change CIA's assessment," they added.

The lab leak conclusion represents a shift for the agency, given that the intelligence community was previously divided on the theory.

Former President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reportedly had ordered the assessment to be conducted.

The new director of the CIA is John Ratcliffe.