Michigan Is the First State to Get Technology to Pay with Your Eyes

How do you pay for the check when you're out for dinner? Do you use cash, a credit card or a debit card? Back in the day, cash was king. But today, there are so many different ways to pay when you're out shopping or dining. Well, Michigan is the first state to get technology to pay with your eyes. Yes, that's correct. There is a new way to pay bills, and it's actually with your eyes. We're living in the future, my friend.

Several Mid-Michigan businesses are now offering the ability for customers to pay with their eyes with a technology called PayEye. As their official website explains, "We have created a proprietary payment ecosystem based on our modern PayEye application, featuring the world's safest eye-based payments, which rely on the fusion of iris and facial biometrics. Additionally, we offer intelligent express e-payeye payments for e-commerce using QR codes, along with our PayEye ZONE marketing and sales platform for our business partners, enabling community building and user communication." They also explain that, "Innovation, security, and technology are in our DNA."

Recently, PayEye passed testing to get Payment Card Industry (PCI) certification for its eyePOS 3 multi-purpose payment terminal, according to a press release from the company. "Receiving PCI certification for PayEye ensures that the information we process, such as card data and PIN numbers, is encrypted, transmitted and stored with proper procedures and the highest standards," Daniel Jarząb, CEO of PayEye, said in a statement. "By obtaining this certification, we confirm our commitment to protecting customer data and securing transactions."

Want to try it? PayEye opened its first U.S. office in East Lansing this week, as well as their launch in local businesses. The technology uses a scan of your iris, which PayEye says is five times more unique than a fingerprint. What you do is set up your profile on their app, and then your eye will be ready to pay to bill. Right now, the technology is being used at mid-Michigan businesses Barrio, Kellie’s Consignments, 6 Lounge and Jet Fitness. For more information, go here.

For those currently in the process of job hunting, the market is working in your favor right now. There are plenty of job opportunities available. Representatives from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget came together for a conference in Lansing on Tuesday. The event aimed to chart the course of the state's employment landscape for the next seven years. Additionally, they’re working to ensure people know about the jobs currently in high demand.

Yesterday, the DTMB and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity released two publications: Michigan’s Hot 50 and Michigan’s Career Outlook. Michigan’s Hot 50 brochure provides a comprehensive list of careers projected to have high demand and offer competitive wages, with the projections extending until 2030. This informative resource includes key details such as job titles, projected annual job openings, hourly wage ranges, insights into job growth, and the necessary education or training levels.

For people with a high school diploma and short-term training, several careers are expected to experience heightened demand over the next eight years. These careers include amusement and recreation attendants, animal caretakers, exercise trainers, group fitness instructors, bartenders, hosts, and hostesses.

On the other hand, for those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, the demand is projected to be strong for professions including general and operations managers, accountants, auditors, medical and health services managers, physician assistants, and industrial engineers.

The information gathered in these lists is valuable for students and job seekers. It assists them in making informed decisions about their future paths.

"It is our goal to provide our education and workforce partners with the information they need to help Michiganders find their path to high-demand, high-wage jobs," Scott Powell, director of the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget's Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, said in a news release.

Check out these five most in-demand jobs in Michigan, as highlighted by Michigan's Department of Technology, Management, and Budget. See the complete list here.

The projected annual job openings amount to 6,545, offering an hourly wage spanning from $29 to $72. Anticipated growth from 2020 to 2030 stands at 11.9%. The usual educational and training prerequisites beyond high school for this role include a bachelor's degree alongside relevant work experience.

The projected annual job openings amount to 7,635, offering an hourly wage spanning from $19 to $29. Anticipated growth from 2020 to 2030 stands at 12.7%. The usual educational and training prerequisites beyond high school for this role include a postsecondary nondegree award, short-term on-the-job training, or a license.

The projected annual job openings amount to 8,240, offering an hourly wage spanning from $21 to $40. Anticipated growth from 2020 to 2030 stands at 9.6%. The usual educational and training prerequisites beyond high school for this role include moderate on-the-job training.

The projected annual job openings amount to 6,345, offering an hourly wage spanning from $30 to $38. Anticipated growth from 2020 to 2030 stands at 7.9%. The usual educational and training prerequisites beyond high school for this role include a bachelor's degree or s license.

The projected annual job openings amount to 1,420, offering an hourly wage spanning from $19 to $30. Anticipated growth from 2020 to 2030 stands at 12%. The usual educational and training prerequisites beyond high school for this role include a bachelor's degree or s license.