Low-energy fusion of heavy ions is a fascinating coupling-assisted quantum tunnelling problem, whose understanding is crucial for advancing the synthesis of new elements and isotopes. Quantum dynamical coupled-channels calculations of laser-assisted 16O + 238U fusion are presented for both a central collision and the total fusion cross-sections, suggesting that laser-nucleus interaction can enhance the average 16O + 238U fusion probability by 6 − 60% at subbarrier energies using quasi-static laser fields of intensity 10^27 − 10^29 Wcm^−2 and photon's energy of 1 eV. Femtosecond laser pulses are shown to reduce this enhancement by many orders of magnitude.