diff --git a/scripts/generate_changelog.py b/scripts/generate_changelog.py
index 516e88b..1c7e50b 100755
--- a/scripts/generate_changelog.py
+++ b/scripts/generate_changelog.py
@@ -8,13 +8,15 @@
 though it often needs some manual editing too.
 """
 
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import argparse
 import multiprocessing
 import os
 import re
 import sys
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from typing import Any, List, Optional
+from typing import Any, Optional
 
 import requests
 from git import Repo  # pip install GitPython
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@
 class PrInfo:
     gh_user_name: str
     pr_title: str
-    labels: List[str]
+    labels: list[str]
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -57,7 +59,7 @@ def get_github_token() -> str:
     token_file = os.path.join(home_dir, ".githubtoken")
 
     try:
-        with open(token_file) as f:
+        with open(token_file, encoding="utf8") as f:
             token = f.read().strip()
         return token
     except Exception:
@@ -109,7 +111,7 @@ def remove_prefix(text: str, prefix: str) -> str:
     return text  # or whatever
 
 
-def print_section(crate: str, items: List[str]) -> None:
+def print_section(crate: str, items: list[str]) -> None:
     if 0 < len(items):
         print(f"#### {crate}")
         for line in items:
diff --git a/scripts/template_update.py b/scripts/template_update.py
index d781c9e..d550d24 100755
--- a/scripts/template_update.py
+++ b/scripts/template_update.py
@@ -14,11 +14,12 @@
 You can also use `--dry-run` to see what would happen without actually changing anything.
 """
 
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import argparse
 import os
 import shutil
 import tempfile
-from typing import Set
 
 from git import Repo
 
@@ -62,14 +63,14 @@
 }
 
 
-def parse_languages(lang_str: str) -> Set[str]:
+def parse_languages(lang_str: str) -> set[str]:
     languages = lang_str.split(",") if lang_str else []
     for lang in languages:
         assert lang in ["cpp", "python", "rust"], f"Unsupported language: {lang}"
     return set(languages)
 
 
-def calc_deny_set(languages: Set[str]) -> Set[str]:
+def calc_deny_set(languages: set[str]) -> set[str]:
     """The set of files to delete/ignore."""
     files_to_delete = CPP_FILES | PYTHON_FILES | RUST_FILES
     if "cpp" in languages:
@@ -81,13 +82,13 @@ def calc_deny_set(languages: Set[str]) -> Set[str]:
     return files_to_delete
 
 
-def init(languages: Set[str], dry_run: bool) -> None:
+def init(languages: set[str], dry_run: bool) -> None:
     print("Removing all language-specific files not needed for languages {languages}.")
     files_to_delete = calc_deny_set(languages)
     delete_files_and_folder(files_to_delete, dry_run)
 
 
-def delete_files_and_folder(paths: Set[str], dry_run: bool) -> None:
+def delete_files_and_folder(paths: set[str], dry_run: bool) -> None:
     repo_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)))
     for path in paths:
         full_path = os.path.join(repo_path, path)
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ def delete_files_and_folder(paths: Set[str], dry_run: bool) -> None:
                     shutil.rmtree(full_path)
 
 
-def update(languages: Set[str], dry_run: bool) -> None:
+def update(languages: set[str], dry_run: bool) -> None:
     files_to_ignore = calc_deny_set(languages)
     repo_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)))