A method for detecting hotspots in physical design layout patterns includes receiving a given physical design layout pattern, utilizing a hotspot detection model to detect one or more potential hotspots in the given physical design layout pattern, and performing a verification to determine whether a given potential hotspot of the one or more potential hotspots detected by the hotspot detection model comprises a real hotspot or a nonexistent hotspot. The method also includes, responsive to determining that the given potential hotspot comprises an actual hotspot, modifying the given physical design layout pattern to remove the actual hotspot. The method further includes, responsive to determining that the given potential hotspot comprises a nonexistent hotspot, augmenting the hotspot detection model with additional training data generated based on the nonexistent hotspot.