The cheerful Amazon employee at the opening of a Whole Foods Market in Washington's Glover Park neighborhood asked me if I wanted to start shopping by scanning a QR code in the Amazon app. I opted to use my palm instead, quickly scanning both hands on a kiosk and linking them to my Amazon account. I then used my right palm to enter the technologically advanced grocery store and spent the next 30 minutes shopping. I purchased a bag of cauliflower florets, grapefruit sparkling water, a carton of strawberries, and a package of organic chicken sausages. Cameras and sensors tracked my selections and created a virtual shopping cart in real-time. I then left the store without needing a cashier as Amazon would charge my account later. Amazon acquired Whole Foods for $13 billion over four years ago. The grocery chain Whole Foods in Glover Park has now been fully transformed by Amazon, with the store showcasing the complete Amazon-ification. While Amazon initially made small changes to the more than 500 Whole Foods locations in the US and Britain, the renovated 21,000-square-foot store near Georgetown marks a significant step forward in Amazon's involvement. This store, along with a prototype in Los Angeles, is designed to be largely operated by tracking and robotic technology for the first time. The technology called Just Walk Out utilizes numerous cameras to monitor customers from above. Sensors are placed under every item in the store to track shopping activity and improve accuracy. This advanced technology is similar to what is found in driverless cars, recognizing when a product is picked up and automatically charging customers when they exit the store. Anyone, whether they have a Prime membership or not, can use their Amazon account to shop without going through a cash register. Amazon has been testing this automation for over four years, starting with Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores. The palm-scanning technology, Amazon One, is also being used by other businesses like a convenience store at Dallas Love Field Airport and Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken restaurant in Seattle. According to Dilip Kumar, Amazon’s vice president of physical retail and technology, these stores have been valuable experiments. Amazon sees Whole Foods as another step in its expansion of technology in retail stores. Kumar explained that after identifying areas of friction for customers, they worked diligently to find ways to reduce it. One example was customers not liking standing in checkout lines, which led to the development of the Just Walk Out technology. He did not comment on Amazon's plans to expand this technology to all Whole Foods stores. According to my colleague Karen Weise at The New York Times, Amazon operates with long-term goals, allowing them to slowly transform labor, retail, and logistics. The Whole Foods in Glover Park, which has been serving the community for over 20 years, is more than just a grocery store. Despite facing closure due to a dispute with the landlord and a rat infestation four years ago, Amazon has announced plans to reopen the store as a Just Walk Out pilot project. While the rats may be gone, the neighborhood still has concerns about the store's reopening. The newly renovated store has ignited a lively local discussion among residents on the Nextdoor community app and a neighborhood email list. Some neighbors are divided on whether the store now has a "dystopian" atmosphere or if its technology is impressive. Many residents fondly recall the store's previous inviting atmosphere with free samples and blueberry pancakes on weekends. Alex Levin, a long-time resident of Glover Park, believes that people should not reject the store's changes but instead, understand the pros and cons of the technology and take advantage of it. He shared an anecdote about trying to trick the cameras and sensors in the store by placing a box of chicken nuggets in his shopping bag and then returning the item to a freezer, but Amazon was not fooled and he was not charged for the nuggets. Some people reported mistakes in their bills and were unhappy that produce was no longer sold by weight. Instead, items are now priced individually or in bundles. Some people missed the checkout line where they could browse magazines and impulse items. Many were wary of the tracking technology, comparing it to George Orwell's "1984," according to 72-year-old retired librarian Allen Hengst. Amazon stated that it had no intention of using video or other customer information from Whole Foods for advertising or its recommendation engine. Customers who do not wish to participate in the new technology can simply enter the store without signing in and pay at self-checkout kiosks using a credit card or cash. As a loyal customer of Glover Park's Whole Foods, I was looking forward to experiencing the changes in the store, but my excitement waned as I encountered the palm scan and the six-pack banana bundles. My ambivalence grew when I saw a sign at the entrance prohibiting shoppers from taking photos or videos inside. I looked up at the ceiling and saw many small black plastic boxes hanging from the rafters. An employee informed me that these were cameras that would track me as I shopped. Other workers were present at the entrance to assist customers with check-in, as well as behind the seafood, cheese, and produce counters. Kumar mentioned that the stores would continue to hire humans, but I questioned for how long. Amazon, which has faced criticism for its treatment of workers, stated that employees may see changes in their roles over time, with a greater emphasis on customer interaction and answering questions. There were indications of a shift towards a more self-service model. During a visit to a bakery, I searched for someone to slice my $4.99 Harvest loaf and was directed to a professional bread slicer for customers. A warning label advised customers to keep their hands away from the sharp blades and moving parts. Kumar refused to provide information on the effectiveness of Just Walk Out, so I decided to test the technology myself. I took an organic avocado and placed it among nonorganic avocados. After browsing the store, I retrieved the same organic avocado. If the cameras and sensors were working correctly, Amazon would have detected my actions and charged me for the misplaced avocado. At checkout, I could either use a self-checkout kiosk or skip the process. I chose the second option and gestured my hand over the exit turnstile. The turnstile's arms unlocked. A worker at the exit mentioned, "You should get your receipt in two to three hours." I left the store feeling uneasy, worried that I might be wrongly accused of shoplifting. I received an email from Amazon in my email inbox one hour later. The email included a link that directed me to my Amazon account for more information. The email stated that my shopping session had lasted 32 minutes and 26 seconds, with a total bill of $34.35. I was correctly charged for the organic avocado.