At the opening of a Whole Foods Market in Washington's Glover Park neighborhood, an enthusiastic Amazon employee greeted me and asked if I wanted to start shopping by scanning the QR code in my Amazon app. I opted to use my palm instead, scanning both hands on a kiosk and linking them to my Amazon account in less than a minute. 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, strawberries, and organic chicken sausages. Cameras and sensors tracked my selections and created a virtual shopping cart in real time. I exited the store without needing a cashier, as Amazon would charge my account later. Whole Foods was bought by Amazon for $13 billion over four years ago. The grocery chain's transformation into an Amazon-owned entity is now fully evident with the renovated Whole Foods store in Glover Park. Despite initially making only minor changes to over 500 stores in the US and Britain, Amazon has now significantly increased its influence with the introduction of discounts, free delivery for Prime members, and the implementation of tracking and robotic technology in the 21,000-square-foot store in Georgetown. Another prototype store in Los Angeles, set to open this year, will further showcase Amazon's innovative approach to grocery shopping. The technology, called Just Walk Out, utilizes numerous cameras to monitor customers from above. Sensors are placed beneath each item in the store to track shopping patterns and improve accuracy of charges. This technology is similar to what is used in autonomous vehicles, as it can detect when a customer takes a product and automatically charges them when they leave the store. Anyone with an Amazon account, not just Prime members, can use this technology to shop without going through a traditional cash register. Amazon has been testing this automated shopping experience for over four years, starting with Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores. The palm-scanning technology, called Amazon One, is also being used by other businesses, including a convenience store at Dallas Love Field Airport and Shaquille O’Neal’s restaurant in Seattle. According to Dilip Kumar, Amazon's vice president of physical retail and technology, these stores have been valuable experiments. The company sees Whole Foods as another step in its expansion of technology into retail stores. "We identified areas of friction for customers and worked diligently to find ways to reduce that friction," Kumar stated. He noted that customers dislike waiting in checkout lines and explained that this led to the development of the Just Walk Out concept. He did not disclose if Amazon intended to implement this technology in all Whole Foods stores. According to my colleague Karen Weise, who covers Amazon from Seattle for The New York Times, the company has a long-term approach, with the resources and patience to make slow progress in transforming labor, retail, and logistics. The Whole Foods in Glover Park has been a key part of the neighborhood for over two decades, located within walking distance of Embassy Row and the vice president's residence. Despite a closure four years ago due to a dispute with the landlord and a rat infestation, Amazon has announced plans to reopen the store as a Just Walk Out pilot project. While the rats may have been eradicated, the community still has concerns. The renovated store has caused a lively debate among local residents, who are discussing the store's futuristic feel and advanced technology on platforms like Nextdoor and a neighborhood email list. Some neighbors fondly remember when the store used to offer free samples and blueberry pancakes on weekends, encouraging people to hang out. One long-time resident, Alex Levin, believes that instead of rejecting the store's changes, people should embrace the benefits and drawbacks of technology and use it to their advantage. He shared a story of trying to trick the store's cameras and sensors by placing chicken nuggets in his shopping bag, but Amazon's system caught on and he wasn't charged for the item. Others have mentioned that they discovered mistakes in their bills and were unhappy about the switch from pricing produce by weight to pricing it per item, bundle, or box. Some were sad about the elimination of the checkout line, where they used to browse magazines and impulse items. A lot of people were concerned about the tracking technology, with one retired librarian comparing it to George Orwell's '1984'. Amazon stated that it did not intend to utilize video and other customer information from Whole Foods for advertising or its recommendation system. 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 the Whole Foods in Glover Park, I was looking forward to seeing the changes in the store after missing its previous dark, cramped, and chaotic atmosphere. However, my feelings became mixed as I encountered a palm scan and saw six-pack banana bundles. I also observed a sign near the entrance prohibiting shoppers from taking photos or videos inside the store. I looked up at the ceiling and saw numerous small black plastic boxes hanging from the rafters. An employee informed me that these were cameras that would track me during my shopping trip. The entrance was bustling with workers assisting customers with check-in, and others were stationed at the seafood counter, cheese station, and produce areas. Kumar assured me that the stores would continue to have human employees, but I couldn't help but wonder for how much longer. Amazon, which has faced criticism for its treatment of workers, stated that employees' duties may evolve to involve more customer interaction for answering inquiries. There were indications of a trend towards self-service. In a bakery, I sought assistance in cutting my $4.99 Harvest loaf and was directed to a professional bread slicer for customers, with a cautionary label about sharp blades and moving parts. Kumar refused to provide information on the accuracy of the Just Walk Out technology, so I decided to test it myself. I purposely placed an organic avocado on a stack of nonorganic avocados and walked around the store. Upon returning to the avocado, I expected the cameras and sensors to detect the misplaced item and charge me accordingly. When it was time to leave, I had the choice of using a self-checkout kiosk or skipping the process. I chose the second option and waved my hand over an exit turnstile. The turnstile's arms opened. An employee at the exit told me that I should expect to receive my receipt within two to three hours. I walked out feeling uncomfortable, as if I might be wrongly accused of shoplifting. I received an email notification from Amazon in my email inbox an hour later. The email contained a link that directed me to my Amazon account for more information. According to the email, my shopping session lasted 32 minutes and 26 seconds, with a total bill of $34.35. I was accurately charged for the organic avocado.