Dumb.co Mandates Handwritten Letters to Filter Out AI Internship Candidates

By Sherin Shibu · Entrepreneur · 2026-09-28

Entrepreneur reports that flip phone startup Dumb.co recently forced nearly 900 applicants to submit pen-and-paper cover letters to secure one of four internship roles. The company abandoned digital submissions after receiving a flood of overly polished, AI-generated applications

Entrepreneur reports that flip phone startup Dumb.co recently forced nearly 900 applicants to submit pen-and-paper cover letters to secure one of four internship roles. The company abandoned digital submissions after receiving a flood of overly polished, AI-generated applications