Why Hims & Hers’ New CTO Comes from the Self-Driving Car World
Healthcare Meets High-Speed Innovation
Hims & Hers, the telehealth and wellness company, made waves this month by appointing Vijay Balasubramanian—formerly a leading voice in autonomous vehicle tech—as its new Chief Technology Officer. The move is unconventional on the surface, but it signals a growing belief that the future of healthcare delivery increasingly relies on AI, machine learning, and large-scale automation—the same backbone that powers self-driving systems. Hims & Hers CEO Andrew Dudum emphasized that solving the complexities of personalized health services at scale doesn’t just require medical expertise; it demands deep technical skill in AI infrastructure and product evolution, areas where Balasubramanian has excelled. His background includes time at Helm.ai and Nuro, giving him the experience to build engineered intelligence into patient-facing platforms.
AI Is the New Bedside Manner
Balasubramanian’s hire reflects a broader talent migration as the lines between industries blur under AI’s influence. Instead of seeking CTOs from within the healthcare sphere, Hims & Hers deliberately looked to sectors that have already tackled massive data, real-time software demands, and complex user interactions—hallmarks of the AV industry. With the ever-growing expectations on telehealth platforms to deliver not just accessible care but personalized, frictionless digital experiences, the company is betting that automotive-grade AI will give it a strategic edge. For Balasubramanian, the move is also a mission-driven pivot: using his software expertise to impact lives more directly through health outcomes.
