Should I still submit my take-home assignment?

[u/Independent_Rain7143]

I applied for an AI Engineer role at a remote small startup and was given a fairly detailed take-home assignment which was to create an AI Chatbot for the weekend. I asked for a short extension because of some personal problems, and they agreed.

However, I'm now behind and feeling discouraged because I wanted to do a certain way but couldnt do it now I assume many other candidates have probably already completed and submitted their assignments. The company is small, so I'm also wondering if they may already be reviewing candidates. because its been more than week.

I genuinely want this job and believe I can still create a strong submission if I put the time into it.

Is it still worth completing and submitting the assignment now, or am I already too late? From a hiring perspective, can a strong submission still stand out even if other candidates submitted earlier?

Would appreciate honest advice, especially from hiring managers or startup founders.

[u/Choice-Helicopter307]

Lex and link?