Hims & Hers Taps Autonomous Vehicle Expert to Lead AI-Driven Healthcare Innovation

Hims & Hers, the San Francisco-based telehealth and wellness company, has made a strategic move by hiring Mo Elshenawy, a seasoned veteran of the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry, as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). This decision, announced on Thursday, was driven by a specific goal: to leverage Elshenawy's expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) to advance Hims & Hers' product development and operational efficiency. According to Hims & Hers co-founder and CEO Andrew Dudum, the choice to recruit from the AV sector was deliberate. "We were looking for leaders in autonomous driving because it involves using technology, data, and AI in incredibly high-stakes situations where people's lives are at risk," Dudum explained in an interview with TechCrunch. "Healthcare shares similar characteristics and challenges, making it a natural fit." Elshenawy, who previously served as the president and CTO of Cruise, left the company earlier this year following a restructuring at its parent, General Motors. Despite the apparent divergence from AVs to healthcare, Elshenawy emphasized the relevance of his background to his new role. "Translating AI into safe, reliable, and scalable decision-making is something I’ve done extensively in the automotive industry, and it directly applies to what we're building at Hims & Hers," he stated in an email to TechCrunch. "Both industries require precision, trust, and the ability to handle complex, regulated environments." Hims & Hers, founded in 2017, first gained prominence by focusing on men's health issues, such as erectile dysfunction and hair loss. It expanded into women's health services in 2018, renaming itself to reflect this broader scope. Since going public via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in 2021, the company has further diversified its offerings to include mental health and weight loss treatments. This expansion underscores the company’s ambition to become a comprehensive telehealth provider, and recent high-profile hires like Elshenawy and former Amazon executive Nader Kabbani, who will head operations, are testament to this vision. At the core of Hims & Hers' strategy is the integration of AI into its healthcare solutions. The company treats between 10,000 and 15,000 patients daily and has amassed a vast dataset of anonymized patient information, including clinical visit details, prescriptions, and treatment outcomes. This rich data repository is being used to develop advanced AI models aimed at enhancing diagnostic and treatment processes. Two years ago, Hims & Hers launched MedMatch, an AI-driven tool designed to assist doctors in recommending mental health treatments. However, despite the sophistication of these AI models, human oversight remains crucial. "All our AI-based tools have a healthcare professional in the loop," Dudum clarified. "From a regulatory perspective, providers must still make the final clinical judgments and decisions." Moreover, the company’s AI tools are transparent, providing detailed insights into how suggestions are generated. "It's important to show the work and provide the context behind the AI's recommendations," Dudum noted. "This transparency not only builds trust but also ensures that healthcare providers can understand and validate the AI’s decisions." Elshenawy's experience in managing complex, high-sensitivity systems in the AV industry makes him well-suited to lead Hims & Hers through the next phase of its AI-driven initiatives. His expertise will be instrumental in developing and deploying AI technologies that can improve the efficiency and precision of healthcare delivery, ultimately allowing the company to serve a wider and more diverse patient population. With Elshenawy onboard, Hims & Hers is poised to leverage cutting-edge AI to address some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare, all while adhering to the stringent regulations and ethical standards of the industry.