How do plan to avoid the AI overlord camera system that is already in many grocery stores? Instant facial recognition when you walk into the store. Directly tied to your credit card you used on the way out last time. They mapped out your route you are most likely to take. How long until your phone is buzzing to alert you of a hot deal on aisle 12, when you are in aisle 12, for that sugar free soda you drink?
Oh yeah, don't forget they are sharing this information with an ad agency who covered the installation cost of not only your grocery store, but also your bank and gas station. All of those prefernces, tied together in a neat little digital folder, ready to sell to the highest bidding government agency.
I was talking about my use of my machines (the topic of TFA), not how others use their computers against me.
On your topic, I'm not totally helpless, though. I can't do anything about store surveillance except go to stores that don't do that (while they still exist).
That said... I can and so put my phone into airplane mode before I enter stores, and I avoid using credit cards in them, specifically to help protect against those kinds of spying.
Maintaining my own alternatives isn't a big deal. I'm largely doing that anyway.