This study explores how preservice elementary teachers perceive changes in oral communication and its educational direction in the era of artificial intelligence. A total of 28 students from a university completed open-ended surveys. Thematic analysis revealed that participants viewed human–AI interaction as a new form of communication, recognizing structural shifts, dual communication patterns, and the varied roles of AI. They emphasized the importance of maintaining human communicative traits while fostering the ability to adapt to AI. These findings suggest that communication education should balance human-centered values with technological responsiveness.