This study focused on the impact of intelligent learning companions (ILC) on Chinese EFL learners’ oral English ability and technology perception. Using a quasi-experimental design, this study selected 51 EFL learners from a university in southeast China and randomly divided them into an experimental group (EG, n = 24) and a control group (CG, n = 27). During the 16-week intervention period, the experimental group adopted the intelligent learning companion teaching strategy supported by artificial intelligence technology (Relying on the IFlytek Spark Platform), while the control group adopted the learning companion strategy guided by teachers. The experimental group not only had better oral English scores (p = 0.001 < 0.05) but also showed a significant increase in technology perception (p = 0.01 < 0.05). The research provides a new perspective for effectively integrating artificial intelligence technology in oral English teaching. Also, it offers strong empirical support for theoretical study and practical application in enhancing the oral expression ability of the second language, English.



