Hims & Hers Taps Autonomous Vehicle Expert as New CTO
Hims & Hers, the telehealth and wellness company, has appointed Mo Elshenawy, former president and CTO of self-driving car company Cruise, as its new Chief Technology Officer.
CEO Andrew Dudum explained that this strategic move aims to leverage Elshenawy's AI expertise to advance the company's AI-based product development. Dudum specifically sought a leader from the autonomous driving sector due to its focus on using AI in high-stakes, safety-critical environments.
I was looking at leaders in the autonomous driving space because they leverage technology, data, and AI in highly sensitive environments where people's lives are at risk.
While the shift from autonomous vehicles to healthcare may appear unconventional, Elshenawy believes the transition is natural.
Self-driving cars use AI to make real-time decisions in complex, high-stakes, and heavily regulated environments, where trust is paramount. Healthcare operates under similar conditions. Translating AI into safe, reliable decision-making at scale applies directly to what we're building at Hims & Hers.
AI to Enhance Personalized Healthcare
Hims & Hers, which went public in 2021, has expanded its services from men's health and hair loss treatments to include women's health, mental health, and weight loss. The company treats 10,000 to 15,000 patients daily and has amassed a large dataset of anonymized patient information. This data is used to train AI models designed to improve diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
One example is MedMatch, an AI-powered tool that assists doctors in recommending mental health treatments. Dudum emphasized that all AI tools are used to support, not replace, healthcare professionals.
There's a strict approach to clinical decision tools in the medical industry. Providers are still necessary to make all clinical judgments and decisions. Our AI products provide insights and help providers be more efficient and precise.
The company's AI tools also provide transparency by showing healthcare professionals how they arrive at their conclusions. This transparency builds trust and helps providers understand the reasoning behind the AI's recommendations.
This strategic appointment follows the recent hiring of former Amazon executive Nader Kabbani as Chief of Operations, further highlighting Hims & Hers' commitment to growth and innovation in the telehealth space.
