diff --git a/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributeKey.java b/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributeKey.java
index 7d012aa14ca..64b101975ab 100644
--- a/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributeKey.java
+++ b/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributeKey.java
@@ -70,4 +70,9 @@ static AttributeKey<List<Long>> longArrayKey(String key) {
   static AttributeKey<List<Double>> doubleArrayKey(String key) {
     return InternalAttributeKeyImpl.create(key, AttributeType.DOUBLE_ARRAY);
   }
+
+  /** Returns a new AttributeKey for generic {@link Value} valued attributes. */
+  static AttributeKey<Value<?>> valueKey(String key) {
+    return InternalAttributeKeyImpl.create(key, AttributeType.VALUE);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributeType.java b/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributeType.java
index 1c51e36d644..6209301f573 100644
--- a/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributeType.java
+++ b/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributeType.java
@@ -17,5 +17,15 @@ public enum AttributeType {
   STRING_ARRAY,
   BOOLEAN_ARRAY,
   LONG_ARRAY,
-  DOUBLE_ARRAY
+  DOUBLE_ARRAY,
+  /**
+   * Simple attributes ({@link AttributeType#STRING}, {@link AttributeType#LONG}, {@link
+   * AttributeType#DOUBLE}, {@link AttributeType#BOOLEAN}, {@link AttributeType#STRING_ARRAY},
+   * {@link AttributeType#LONG_ARRAY}, {@link AttributeType#DOUBLE_ARRAY}, {@link
+   * AttributeType#BOOLEAN_ARRAY}) SHOULD be used whenever possible. Instrumentations SHOULD assume
+   * that backends do not index individual properties of complex attributes, that querying or
+   * aggregating on such properties is inefficient and complicated, and that reporting complex
+   * attributes carries higher performance overhead.
+   */
+  VALUE
 }
diff --git a/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/Attributes.java b/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/Attributes.java
index 2a9d43793a7..8ac46146e6b 100644
--- a/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/Attributes.java
+++ b/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/Attributes.java
@@ -33,11 +33,57 @@
 @Immutable
 public interface Attributes {
 
-  /** Returns the value for the given {@link AttributeKey}, or {@code null} if not found. */
+  /**
+   * Returns the value for the given {@link AttributeKey}, or {@code null} if not found.
+   *
+   * <p>Note: this method will automatically return the corresponding {@link Value} instance when
+   * passed a key of type {@link AttributeType#VALUE} and a simple attribute is found. This is the
+   * inverse of {@link AttributesBuilder#put(AttributeKey, Object)} when the key is {@link
+   * AttributeType#VALUE}.
+   *
+   * <ul>
+   *   <li>If {@code put(AttributeKey.stringKey("key"), "a")} was called, then {@code
+   *       get(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"))} returns {@code Value.of("a")}.
+   *   <li>If {@code put(AttributeKey.longKey("key"), 1L)} was called, then {@code
+   *       get(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"))} returns {@code Value.of(1L)}.
+   *   <li>If {@code put(AttributeKey.doubleKey("key"), 1.0)} was called, then {@code
+   *       get(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"))} returns {@code Value.of(1.0)}.
+   *   <li>If {@code put(AttributeKey.booleanKey("key"), true)} was called, then {@code
+   *       get(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"))} returns {@code Value.of(true)}.
+   *   <li>If {@code put(AttributeKey.stringArrayKey("key"), Arrays.asList("a", "b"))} was called,
+   *       then {@code get(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"))} returns {@code Value.of(Value.of("a"),
+   *       Value.of("b"))}.
+   *   <li>If {@code put(AttributeKey.longArrayKey("key"), Arrays.asList(1L, 2L))} was called, then
+   *       {@code get(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"))} returns {@code Value.of(Value.of(1L),
+   *       Value.of(2L))}.
+   *   <li>If {@code put(AttributeKey.doubleArrayKey("key"), Arrays.asList(1.0, 2.0))} was called,
+   *       then {@code get(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"))} returns {@code Value.of(Value.of(1.0),
+   *       Value.of(2.0))}.
+   *   <li>If {@code put(AttributeKey.booleanArrayKey("key"), Arrays.asList(true, false))} was
+   *       called, then {@code get(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"))} returns {@code
+   *       Value.of(Value.of(true), Value.of(false))}.
+   * </ul>
+   *
+   * Further, if {@code put(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"), Value.of(emptyList()))} was called, then
+   *
+   * <ul>
+   *   <li>{@code get(AttributeKey.stringArrayKey("key"))}
+   *   <li>{@code get(AttributeKey.longArrayKey("key"))}
+   *   <li>{@code get(AttributeKey.booleanArrayKey("key"))}
+   *   <li>{@code get(AttributeKey.doubleArrayKey("key"))}
+   * </ul>
+   *
+   * all return an empty list (as opposed to {@code null}).
+   */
   @Nullable
   <T> T get(AttributeKey<T> key);
 
-  /** Iterates over all the key-value pairs of attributes contained by this instance. */
+  /**
+   * Iterates over all the key-value pairs of attributes contained by this instance.
+   *
+   * <p>Note: {@link AttributeType#VALUE} attributes will be represented as simple attributes if
+   * possible. See {@link AttributesBuilder#put(AttributeKey, Object)} for more details.
+   */
   void forEach(BiConsumer<? super AttributeKey<?>, ? super Object> consumer);
 
   /** The number of attributes contained in this. */
@@ -46,7 +92,12 @@ public interface Attributes {
   /** Whether there are any attributes contained in this. */
   boolean isEmpty();
 
-  /** Returns a read-only view of this {@link Attributes} as a {@link Map}. */
+  /**
+   * Returns a read-only view of this {@link Attributes} as a {@link Map}.
+   *
+   * <p>Note: {@link AttributeType#VALUE} attributes will be represented as simple attributes in
+   * this map if possible. See {@link AttributesBuilder#put(AttributeKey, Object)} for more details.
+   */
   Map<AttributeKey<?>, Object> asMap();
 
   /** Returns a {@link Attributes} instance with no attributes. */
diff --git a/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributesBuilder.java b/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributesBuilder.java
index 6623d470137..bc246ad3e8b 100644
--- a/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributesBuilder.java
+++ b/api/all/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/api/common/AttributesBuilder.java
@@ -39,6 +39,40 @@ public interface AttributesBuilder {
   /**
    * Puts an {@link AttributeKey} with an associated value into this if the value is non-null.
    * Providing a null value does not remove or unset previously set values.
+   *
+   * <p>Simple attributes ({@link AttributeType#STRING}, {@link AttributeType#LONG}, {@link
+   * AttributeType#DOUBLE}, {@link AttributeType#BOOLEAN}, {@link AttributeType#STRING_ARRAY},
+   * {@link AttributeType#LONG_ARRAY}, {@link AttributeType#DOUBLE_ARRAY}, {@link
+   * AttributeType#BOOLEAN_ARRAY}) SHOULD be used whenever possible. Instrumentations SHOULD assume
+   * that backends do not index individual properties of complex attributes, that querying or
+   * aggregating on such properties is inefficient and complicated, and that reporting complex
+   * attributes carries higher performance overhead.
+   *
+   * <p>Note: This method will automatically convert complex attributes ({@link
+   * AttributeType#VALUE}) to simple attributes when possible.
+   *
+   * <ul>
+   *   <li>Calling {@code put(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"), Value.of("a"))} is equivalent to calling
+   *       {@code put(AttributeKey.stringKey("key"), "a")}.
+   *   <li>Calling {@code put(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"), Value.of(1L))} is equivalent to calling
+   *       {@code put(AttributeKey.longKey("key"), 1L)}.
+   *   <li>Calling {@code put(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"), Value.of(1.0))} is equivalent to calling
+   *       {@code put(AttributeKey.doubleKey("key"), 1.0)}.
+   *   <li>Calling {@code put(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"), Value.of(true))} is equivalent to
+   *       calling {@code put(AttributeKey.booleanKey("key"), true)}.
+   *   <li>Calling {@code put(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"), Value.of(Value.of("a"), Value.of("b")))}
+   *       is equivalent to calling {@code put(AttributeKey.stringArrayKey("key"),
+   *       Arrays.asList("a", "b"))}.
+   *   <li>Calling {@code put(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"), Value.of(Value.of(1L), Value.of(2L)))}
+   *       is equivalent to calling {@code put(AttributeKey.longArrayKey("key"), Arrays.asList(1L,
+   *       2L))}.
+   *   <li>Calling {@code put(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"), Value.of(Value.of(1.0), Value.of(2.0)))}
+   *       is equivalent to calling {@code put(AttributeKey.doubleArrayKey("key"),
+   *       Arrays.asList(1.0, 2.0))}.
+   *   <li>Calling {@code put(AttributeKey.valueKey("key"), Value.of(Value.of(true),
+   *       Value.of(false)))} is equivalent to calling {@code
+   *       put(AttributeKey.booleanArrayKey("key"), Arrays.asList(true, false))}.
+   * </ul>
    */
   <T> AttributesBuilder put(AttributeKey<T> key, @Nullable T value);