  A new perspective on how to manipulate molecules by means of very strong
laser pulses is emerging with insights from the so-called light-induced
potentials, which are the adiabatic potential energy surfaces of molecules
severely distorted by the effect of the strong field. Different effects appear
depending on how the laser frequency is tuned, to a certain electronic
transition, creating light-induced avoided crossings, or very off-resonant,
generating Stark shifts. In the former case it is possible to induce dramatic
changes in the geometry and redistribution of charges in the molecule while the
lasers are acting and to fully control photodissociation reactions as well as
other photochemical processes. Several theoretical proposals taken from the
work of the authors are reviewed and analyzed showing the unique features that
the strong-laser chemistry opens to control the transient properties and the
dynamics of molecules.
