From coding on paper in Jos to AI experiment: How this Nigerian programmer is using technology to improve healthcare
In this edition of After Hours, Goshit Rotkhinen Gideon shares how he went from writing lines of code on physical sheets of paper to building advanced AI agents for healthcare
<br />
Long before he began building AI systems for healthcare, Goshit Rotkhinen Gideon was a curious child exploring his family’s desktop computer in Jos, Plateau State. What began as hours spent playing games and experimenting with Microsoft Word, Paint, and Excel soon grew into a deeper fascination with how computers work. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
That curiosity led him to study computer science at the University of Jos, experiment with artificial intelligence models that generate music, and eventually work on AI tools designed to support healthcare providers and improve patient care.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In this edition of After Hours, Goshit shares his journey from writing code on paper to now working in AI and building technology solutions for the healthcare sector.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Early interactions with technology<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
My first interaction with technology happened when I was about five or six years old. My family got a desktop computer. At that age, I mostly used it to play games, but I was also very curious about what the computer could do.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Beyond games, I started exploring everything else on the system. I tried out Microsoft Word, Paint, Excel, and PowerPoint. I experimented with typing, creating documents, and even making small presentations. A lot of the basic computer skills I later learned in school were things I had already taught myself just by clicking around and exploring the computer. I simply wanted to know what was inside the machine and what it was capable of.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Later, in secondary school, we were introduced to programming through Visual Basic. That was my first real exposure to what programming looked like. It wasn’t deep at the time, but it opened the door to more learning.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Interestingly, the moment that really pushed me toward technology as a career came from a movie.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I had watched Iron Man before, but when I rewatched Iron Man 3 around 2014, something clicked. Tony Stark’s interaction with Jarvis fascinated me; the idea that a computer system could talk back, help manage tasks, fly a suit, play music, or cont...
