One of Washington's most powerful Cold War-era tools could be used by President Donald Trump to rein in artificial intelligence (AI) if the powerful emerging technology ever becomes a national security threat.Originally enacted in 1950 to mobilize American industry during the Korean War, the Defense Production Act (DPA) has long been used to expand military production, prioritize government contracts and respond to national emergencies.Experts now say those authorities could also give the executive branch significant leverage over frontier AI companies if one of their systems posed catastrophic national security risks.Exactly how the government could use DPA's powers against a dangerous AI system remains largely untested, but national security and legal experts who spoke with Fox News Digital described a range of existing authorities that could apply — including laws in the act that encompass cyberattacks, exports, federal contracts and civil liability.THE AI REVOLUTION COULD BECOME A NATIONAL SECURITY DISASTER IF WE AREN'T CAREFULWASHINGTON, DC - JULY 23: U.S.
President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order during the "Winning the AI Race" summit hosted by All‑In Podcast and Hill & Valley Forum at the Andrew W.Mellon Auditorium on July 23, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Trump signed executive orders related to his Artificial Intelligence Action Plan during the event.(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)"The authorities could be a little clearer," James Lewis, director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Fox News Digital.
"But you could probably cobble together a solution using the legal authorities we have now."The question has taken on new urgency after leaders at some of the nation's most powerful AI companies issued stark warnings this week about increasingly capable models and backed calls to slow the pace of development so safety measures can catch up....