The reason Intel uses a set of RISC-like micro-instructions internally is because they can be processed more efficiently. So a x86 CPU works by having a pretty heavy-duty decoder in the frontend, which accepts x86 instructions, and converts them to an optimized internal format, which the backend can process.

Does Intel make RISC?

Second, Intel has announced that it will build its own RISC-V development platform, code-named Horse Creek. Silicon is expected in 2022, built on a 7nm process. The new platform will tap the SiFive P550, a newly-announced CPU core that represents the highest-performance RISC-V CPU yet announced.

Does Intel use RISC or CISC?

Thus Intel began marketing their chips as being RISC processors, with a simple decoding stage in front which turned CISC instructions into RISC instructions.