AI-powered shopping carts are being promoted as the future of convenience — eliminating queues, tracking spending in real time and personalising offers. But beneath the sleek screens and seamless checkouts lies a deeper question: how much data is being collected, and at what cost to privacy?
As smart carts roll out across US supermarkets, shoppers are unknowingly participating in large-scale behavioural analysis. Every movement, pause and purchase decision feeds algorithms designed not only to optimise operations, but to influence future buying behaviour.
Critics argue that consumers have not been adequately informed about the extent of this data collection. The line between convenience and surveillance is becoming increasingly blurred, raising concerns about consent, transparency and data ownership.
The technology may be smart — but public trust is fragile.