Elijah Eshun – the Ghanaian Doctoral student with a non-tech background building AI agents and apps

By Ernest Bako WUBONTO

It is trite knowledge that artificial intelligence has been framed as the preserve of engineers, computer scientists, and mathematicians. The narrative suggests that without a formal technical background, meaningful participation in AI innovation is unlikely. Yet, a growing body of work emerging from a Ghanaian student is challenging this assumption, and at its center is Elijah Eshun, a political science graduate and doctoral candidate in public administration who has actively been building and deploying AI agents and applications for small businesses in Ghana and the United States.

Eshun’s story is significant not because it is an exception, but because it exposes a misunderstanding at the heart of global AI discourse. Artificial intelligence is not merely a technical project. It is a social, economic, and institutional one. As such, those trained to understand governance systems, public policy, and human behavior are increasingly indispensable to its development and deployment.

With academic roots in political science and ongoing doctoral research in public administration, Eshun’s pathway into AI was shaped by years of work and research in digital literacy and AI literacy. This background has given him a practical and analytical lens through which to approach technology. Rather than focusing on novelty or abstraction, his work emphasizes utility, accessibility, and real-world impact.

In practice, this has translated into the design and deployment of voice AI agents, chatbots, and customized AI-driven applications tailored for small businesses. These systems automate customer engagement, manage routine inquiries, support appointment scheduling, and streamline basic operational tasks. For small enterprises that lack the resources to hire full-time staff or invest in complex digital infrastructure, such tools are transformational.

In Ghana, where small and medium-sized businesses form the backbone of the economy, these deployments address persistent challenges. Many businesses struggle with limited manpower, inconsistent customer communication, and rising operational costs. Voice AI agents and chatbots offer a scalable solution that improves responsiveness while remaining cost-effective. Crucially, these systems are built with sensitivity to local realities, including varying levels of digital literacy, language preferences, and infrastructural constraints.

Eshun’s work in the United States reflects the same philosophy. There, AI is positioned not as a replacement for human labor, but as a productivity tool that allows small businesses to compete more effectively. By focusing on clear use cases and practical deployment rather than experimental complexity, he demonstrates that AI adoption can be both accessible and immediate in its benefits.

What sets this work apart is the intellectual framework behind it. A scholar of public administration approaches AI differently from a traditional technologist. Questions of accountability, transparency, ethics, and institutional impact are not afterthoughts, but central design considerations. This perspective is increasingly vital as AI systems become embedded in everyday decision making and service delivery.

The implications for Ghana and similar economies are profound. First, AI capacity building must extend beyond engineering and computer science programs. Social scientists, policy researchers, and public administrators bring essential insights into how technology interacts with society. Second, digital literacy and AI literacy are foundational to inclusive innovation. Without them, AI risks deepening existing inequalities rather than addressing them. Third, small businesses represent one of the most immediate and impactful entry points for applied AI, particularly in developing economies.

Elijah Eshun’s work invites a broader reconsideration of who builds artificial intelligence and for what purpose. The future of AI will not be shaped solely by technical mastery, but by interdisciplinary thinkers who understand context, institutions, and human needs. In that sense, this is not just a personal achievement. It is a signal of what is possible when AI is approached as a public good and a tool for inclusive economic growth.

Ghana’s AI story, it turns out, is not only being written in computer labs, but also in the classrooms of public policy and the daily realities of small businesses.