Hims Cofounder Reportedly Fired His Entire Marketing Team for AI—Now His Vet Startup Is Growing Fast

When Joe Spector, the cofounder of the $1.6 billion human telehealth giant Hims & Hers, left in early 2021 to start a veterinary telemedicine company, few expected his next move to be quite so radical. According to a recent Fortune report, Spector fired his entire marketing team at Dutch, his pet health startup, and replaced them with artificial intelligence. The company, which offers 24/7 online vet consultations, is now reportedly growing 20% a month. But those figures, while attention-grabbing, have not been corroborated by any other public source—raising as many questions about the story as the strategy itself.

Joe Spector founded Dutch in 2021, headquartered in Oakland, California. The company provides video consultations with licensed veterinarians, prescriptions for common pet conditions (allergies, anxiety, arthritis) in 34 states, and operates across all 50 states. It has raised a total of $48 million in venture capital from Eclipse Ventures and Forerunner Ventures, among others. Since launch, over 500,000 customers have signed up for one of Dutch’s membership plans, according to an Entrepreneur profile.

What makes Dutch stand out is its aggressive use of artificial intelligence—not just for clinical support, but for operations. A detailed Forbes feature confirmed that Dutch uses AI innovations from OpenAI and Google Gemini to reduce administrative tasks by 75%, allowing vets to double their daily patient intake. Eclipse Ventures, a major investor, also publicly highlighted those same 75% admin‑reduction figures. The AI tools are integrated into the workflow to handle scheduling, notes, and follow‑ups, freeing veterinarians to focus on care.

The Fortune story, however, goes further. It states that Spector “fired his entire marketing team for AI” and that the service is growing 20% a month. No other outlet—Forbes, Axios, Entrepreneur, or LinkedIn posts from brand strategists—has confirmed those specifics. The research does not mention any staffing changes or the size of Dutch’s marketing team. So while the narrative of an AI‑powered marketing overhaul is compelling, it’s not yet independently verified.

This story sits at the intersection of two powerful trends: the consumer‑led revolution in telehealth that Spector helped ignite at Hims, and the growing pressure on veterinary medicine. The U.S. pet care market is massive, but traditional vet clinics face burnout, high costs, and access issues. Dutch positions itself as a tech‑driven alternative, offering subscription‑based remote care that Spector says can save pet owners thousands of dollars.

If the claim about firing the marketing team is true, it would be one of the most dramatic examples yet of a startup replacing a human department with AI. But it’s also risky. Marketing is often seen as a creative, relationship‑driven function—harder to automate than back‑office admin. Even if Dutch’s AI can handle performance marketing, SEO, or content generation, the strategic and brand‑building aspects typically require human judgment.

For founders and executives watching this story, the lesson is twofold. First, the operational use of AI is already delivering measurable results: vets at Dutch see double the patients because admin is slashed. That’s a clear playbook for any service‑based business. Second, the marketing claim, while unverified, reflects a growing belief that AI can handle more than just back‑office work. Companies may start experimenting with AI‑first marketing teams, especially in direct‑to‑consumer verticals.

But the lack of corroboration is a warning. In a hype‑driven environment, a single source can create a narrative that others copy. Smart leaders will demand independent data before making similar moves. They should also consider the human cost: if the report is accurate, a team was let go. That has morale and reputational implications that don’t show up in a growth rate.

Where will the corroboration come from? A follow‑up in a business publication like Forbes or Axios, an interview with Spector, or a company blog post with hard numbers would help. Also watch for hiring data: if Dutch is truly replacing marketers with AI, job postings for marketing roles should disappear. If they appear, the firing story might be exaggerated.

For now, Dutch’s AI‑driven admin model is a proven success. The question is whether that same AI can replace the human creativity that builds a brand. The answer may define how other startups staff their marketing departments—and whether the future of work is AI‑first or AI‑augmented.