Summary: The article discusses one of the first empirical investigations into AI ethics within private technology companies, highlighting a significant gap between policy and practice. Despite industry growth in AI ethics, companies often fail to prioritize accountability mechanisms and ethical safeguards in AI development. The study reveals obstacles faced by AI ethics workers, including the challenge of foregrounding ethics in a product-centric environment and the difficulty of quantifying ethical considerations. The research emphasizes the importance of regulation in incentivizing companies to prioritize AI ethics initiatives.