diff --git a/.github/workflows/cache-maven-dependencies.yaml b/.github/workflows/cache-maven-dependencies.yaml
index a12f78c76..5ec5bcff8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cache-maven-dependencies.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cache-maven-dependencies.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@v5
         with:
           distribution: "sapmachine"
-          java-version: 17
+          java-version: 21
 
       - name: "Download Dependencies"
         run: mvn -B dependency:go-offline
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependency-test.yaml b/.github/workflows/dependency-test.yaml
index 8d294f80a..173657228 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dependency-test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependency-test.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ on:
 
 env:
   MVN_MULTI_THREADED_ARGS: --batch-mode --no-transfer-progress --fail-at-end --show-version --threads 1C
-  JAVA_VERSION: 17
+  JAVA_VERSION: 21
 
 jobs:
   fetch-dependency-versions:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-snapshot.yaml b/.github/workflows/deploy-snapshot.yaml
index 71899fdf7..6aac71793 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-snapshot.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-snapshot.yaml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@v5
         with:
           distribution: "sapmachine"
-          java-version: "17"
+          java-version: "21"
           server-id: artifactory-snapshots
           server-username: DEPLOYMENT_USER
           server-password: DEPLOYMENT_PASS
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yaml
index 03664205b..16c2ef62a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ on:
 
 env:
   MVN_MULTI_THREADED_ARGS: --batch-mode --no-transfer-progress --fail-at-end --show-version --threads 1C
-  JAVA_VERSION: 17
+  JAVA_VERSION: 21
 
 jobs:
   end-to-end-tests:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/fosstars-report.yml b/.github/workflows/fosstars-report.yml
index 93964bee7..35364e0d6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/fosstars-report.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/fosstars-report.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ on:
 
 env:
   MVN_MULTI_THREADED_ARGS: --batch-mode --no-transfer-progress --fail-at-end --show-version --threads 1C
-  JAVA_VERSION: 17
+  JAVA_VERSION: 21
   CVE_CACHE_KEY: cve-db
   CVE_CACHE_DIR: ~/.m2/repository/org/owasp/dependency-check-data
   CVE_CACHE_REF: refs/heads/main
diff --git a/.github/workflows/perform-release.yaml b/.github/workflows/perform-release.yaml
index 3cd3681bf..7be8293b3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/perform-release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/perform-release.yaml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ on:
 
 env:
   MVN_CLI_ARGS: --batch-mode --no-transfer-progress --fail-at-end --show-version -DskipTests
-  JAVA_VERSION: 17
+  JAVA_VERSION: 21
   DOCS_REPO: SAP/ai-sdk
 
 jobs:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yaml b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yaml
index b1548b3bd..018e65025 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yaml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ on:
 env:
   CI_BUILD_WORKFLOW: "continuous-integration.yaml" # Name of the workflow that should be triggered for CI build
   MVN_MULTI_THREADED_ARGS: --batch-mode --no-transfer-progress --fail-at-end --show-version --threads 1C
-  JAVA_VERSION: 17
+  JAVA_VERSION: 21
   DOCS_REPO: SAP/ai-sdk
 
 jobs:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/spec-update.yaml b/.github/workflows/spec-update.yaml
index 4ef38c538..b7aaad6df 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/spec-update.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/spec-update.yaml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ on:
 
 env:
   MVN_MULTI_THREADED_ARGS: --batch-mode --no-transfer-progress --fail-at-end --show-version --threads 1C
-  JAVA_VERSION: 17
+  JAVA_VERSION: 21
   # keep the following two variables in sync with our 'cache-maven-dependencies.yaml' workflow
   MAVEN_CACHE_KEY: maven-dependencies
   MAVEN_CACHE_DIR: ~/.m2