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https://www.productionai.institute/graph/entities/aiid-united-states-geological-survey-usgs

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Production AI Institute public record · united-states-geological-survey-(usgs) · observed 2025-12-12
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united-states-geological-survey-(usgs)

united-states-geological-survey-(usgs) - organisation named in the AI Incident Database harm index.

Confidence
70%
Sources
3
Events
1
Observed
observed 228d ago
united-states-geological-survey-(usgs)

What changed

On December 4, 2025, the USGS's automated ShakeAlert earthquake detection system erroneously issued a report claiming a magnitude 5.9 earthquake had struck near Dayton, Nevada. The reported false alert triggered emergency warnings on cell phones in parts of California, instructing residents to take protective action. USGS officials said no earthquake occurred and are investigating whether sensor noise or other anomalies caused the system failure.

  • USGS says Nevada quake report was false, blaming automatic system's errorhttps://www.reuters.com/business/environment/usgs-says-report-nevada-earthquake-was-false-detection-by-automatic-system-2025-12-04/
  • After False Earthquake Alert, Lawmakers Demand Answers on How It Was Senthttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/us/usgs-nevada-false-earthquake-shakealert.html
  • AI Incident Database - Incident 1303https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1303/

Timeline

  1. 12 Dec 2025USGS ShakeAlert System Reportedly Generated False Earthquake Alert Affecting Nevada and California
    Incident82%
    • USGS says Nevada quake report was false, blaming automatic system's errorhttps://www.reuters.com/business/environment/usgs-says-report-nevada-earthquake-was-false-detection-by-automatic-system-2025-12-04/
    • After False Earthquake Alert, Lawmakers Demand Answers on How It Was Senthttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/us/usgs-nevada-false-earthquake-shakealert.html
    • AI Incident Database - Incident 1303https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1303/

PSF mapping

No PSF domains are mapped to this entity in the current public record.

Source trail (3)

primary · checked 12 Dec 2025

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primary · checked 12 Dec 2025

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secondary · checked 9 July 2026

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Related records

Connected entities

standardPSF D2 — Output ValidationstandardPSF D6 — Human Oversight

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"united-states-geological-survey-(usgs)." https://www.productionai.institute/graph/entities/aiid-united-states-geological-survey-usgs (observed 2025-12-12; retrieved 2026-07-28). PAI.

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