Hims & Hers Appoints Autonomous Vehicle AI Expert as CTO to Drive Telehealth Innovation

Hims & Hers, a leading telehealth and wellness company, has made a significant leadership move by appointing Mo Elshenawy, a veteran from the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry, as its new chief technology officer. Elshenawy previously served as president and CTO of Cruise, a self-driving car company, where he led AI and robotics innovation in a highly regulated and safety-critical environment.

The transition from autonomous vehicles to healthcare might appear unconventional, but Hims & Hers CEO Andrew Dudum intentionally sought expertise from the AV sector. He emphasized the parallels between the two fields, noting that both require leveraging AI and data to make real-time decisions in environments where human lives are at stake and trust is paramount.

Elshenawy holds over 10 patents related to AI, robotics, and autonomous systems. He highlighted that the core challenges of AI in self-driving cars—making safe, reliable decisions under regulatory scrutiny—mirror those in healthcare, where AI must assist in diagnosing and treating patients while maintaining safety and compliance.

Founded in 2017 and going public in 2021, Hims & Hers started with men’s health products and expanded to women’s health, mental health, and weight loss treatments. The company connects consumers directly with licensed healthcare professionals, treating between 10,000 and 15,000 patients daily. This scale has enabled the collection of a vast anonymized dataset encompassing clinical visits, prescriptions, and treatment outcomes.

Leveraging this data, Hims & Hers has developed AI models to assist healthcare providers. One example is MedMatch, a tool designed to recommend mental health treatments based on patient data. Importantly, all AI-driven recommendations maintain a human-in-the-loop approach, ensuring licensed providers make final clinical decisions in compliance with regulatory standards.

Transparency is a key feature of Hims & Hers’ AI tools. The platform not only delivers treatment recommendations but also provides healthcare professionals with insights into the data and factors influencing those recommendations. This transparency builds trust and supports more informed clinical decisions.

The strategic hire of a CTO with deep AI expertise from a high-stakes, regulated industry underscores Hims & Hers’ commitment to advancing telehealth through cutting-edge technology. This move positions the company to accelerate innovation in AI-driven healthcare solutions that prioritize safety, efficacy, and patient trust.

As telehealth continues to grow, integrating advanced AI responsibly will be critical to improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency. Hims & Hers’ approach exemplifies how cross-industry expertise can drive innovation in healthcare technology, setting a precedent for others aiming to harness AI in sensitive, life-impacting domains.