diff --git a/exporter/loggingexporter/internal/otlptext/databuffer_test.go b/exporter/loggingexporter/internal/otlptext/databuffer_test.go
index 2e1c92dec55..d6d08d2f77a 100644
--- a/exporter/loggingexporter/internal/otlptext/databuffer_test.go
+++ b/exporter/loggingexporter/internal/otlptext/databuffer_test.go
@@ -41,12 +41,9 @@ func TestNestedArraySerializesCorrectly(t *testing.T) {
 func TestNestedMapSerializesCorrectly(t *testing.T) {
 	ava := pcommon.NewValueMap()
 	av := ava.MapVal()
-	av.Insert("foo", pcommon.NewValueString("test"))
+	av.UpsertString("foo", "test")
 
-	ava2 := pcommon.NewValueMap()
-	av2 := ava2.MapVal()
-	av2.InsertInt("bar", 13)
-	av.Insert("zoo", ava2)
+	av.UpsertEmptyMap("zoo").UpsertInt("bar", 13)
 
 	expected := `{
      -> foo: STRING(test)
diff --git a/pdata/pcommon/common.go b/pdata/pcommon/common.go
index 943604cf573..8c031a23ae8 100644
--- a/pdata/pcommon/common.go
+++ b/pdata/pcommon/common.go
@@ -298,6 +298,22 @@ func (v Value) SetBytesVal(bv ImmutableByteSlice) {
 	v.getOrig().Value = &otlpcommon.AnyValue_BytesValue{BytesValue: bv.getOrig()}
 }
 
+// SetEmptyMap sets value to an empty map and returns it.
+// Calling this function on zero-initialized Value will cause a panic.
+func (v Value) SetEmptyMap() Map {
+	kv := &otlpcommon.AnyValue_KvlistValue{KvlistValue: &otlpcommon.KeyValueList{}}
+	v.getOrig().Value = kv
+	return newMap(&kv.KvlistValue.Values)
+}
+
+// SetEmptySlice sets value to an empty slice and returns it.
+// Calling this function on zero-initialized Value will cause a panic.
+func (v Value) SetEmptySlice() Slice {
+	av := &otlpcommon.AnyValue_ArrayValue{ArrayValue: &otlpcommon.ArrayValue{}}
+	v.getOrig().Value = av
+	return newSlice(&av.ArrayValue.Values)
+}
+
 // copyTo copies the value to Value. Will panic if dest is nil.
 func (v Value) copyTo(dest *otlpcommon.AnyValue) {
 	switch ov := v.getOrig().Value.(type) {
@@ -648,6 +664,7 @@ func (m Map) RemoveIf(f func(string, Value) bool) {
 //
 // Important: this function should not be used if the caller has access to
 // the raw value to avoid an extra allocation.
+// Deprecated: [0.59.0] Use Get and CopyTo instead.
 func (m Map) Insert(k string, v Value) {
 	if _, existing := m.Get(k); !existing {
 		*m.getOrig() = append(*m.getOrig(), newAttributeKeyValue(k, v))
@@ -710,6 +727,7 @@ func (m Map) InsertBytes(k string, v ImmutableByteSlice) {
 //
 // Important: this function should not be used if the caller has access to
 // the raw value to avoid an extra allocation.
+// Deprecated: [0.59.0] Use Get and CopyTo instead.
 func (m Map) Update(k string, v Value) {
 	if av, existing := m.Get(k); existing {
 		v.copyTo(av.getOrig())
@@ -764,6 +782,7 @@ func (m Map) UpdateBytes(k string, v ImmutableByteSlice) {
 //
 // Important: this function should not be used if the caller has access to
 // the raw value to avoid an extra allocation.
+// Deprecated: [0.59.0] Use UpsertEmpty instead.
 func (m Map) Upsert(k string, v Value) {
 	if av, existing := m.Get(k); existing {
 		v.copyTo(av.getOrig())
@@ -772,6 +791,18 @@ func (m Map) Upsert(k string, v Value) {
 	}
 }
 
+// UpsertEmpty inserts or updates an empty value to the map under given key
+// and return the updated/inserted value.
+func (m Map) UpsertEmpty(k string) Value {
+	v := NewValueEmpty()
+	if av, existing := m.Get(k); existing {
+		*av.getOrig() = *v.getOrig()
+	} else {
+		*m.getOrig() = append(*m.getOrig(), newAttributeKeyValue(k, v))
+	}
+	return v
+}
+
 // UpsertString performs the Insert or Update action. The Value is
 // inserted to the map that did not originally have the key. The key/value is
 // updated to the map where the key already existed.
@@ -827,6 +858,28 @@ func (m Map) UpsertBytes(k string, v ImmutableByteSlice) {
 	}
 }
 
+// UpsertEmptyMap inserts or updates an empty map under given key and returns it.
+func (m Map) UpsertEmptyMap(k string) Map {
+	kvl := otlpcommon.AnyValue_KvlistValue{KvlistValue: &otlpcommon.KeyValueList{Values: []otlpcommon.KeyValue(nil)}}
+	if av, existing := m.Get(k); existing {
+		av.getOrig().Value = &kvl
+	} else {
+		*m.getOrig() = append(*m.getOrig(), otlpcommon.KeyValue{Key: k, Value: otlpcommon.AnyValue{Value: &kvl}})
+	}
+	return Map(internal.NewMap(&kvl.KvlistValue.Values))
+}
+
+// UpsertEmptySlice inserts or updates an empty clice under given key and returns it.
+func (m Map) UpsertEmptySlice(k string) Slice {
+	vl := otlpcommon.AnyValue_ArrayValue{ArrayValue: &otlpcommon.ArrayValue{Values: []otlpcommon.AnyValue(nil)}}
+	if av, existing := m.Get(k); existing {
+		av.getOrig().Value = &vl
+	} else {
+		*m.getOrig() = append(*m.getOrig(), otlpcommon.KeyValue{Key: k, Value: otlpcommon.AnyValue{Value: &vl}})
+	}
+	return Slice(internal.NewSlice(&vl.ArrayValue.Values))
+}
+
 // Sort sorts the entries in the Map so two instances can be compared.
 // Returns the same instance to allow nicer code like:
 //
diff --git a/pdata/pcommon/common_test.go b/pdata/pcommon/common_test.go
index 6c56eb79418..9ac6296778b 100644
--- a/pdata/pcommon/common_test.go
+++ b/pdata/pcommon/common_test.go
@@ -166,6 +166,14 @@ func TestNilOrigSetValue(t *testing.T) {
 	av = NewValueEmpty()
 	av.SetBytesVal(NewImmutableByteSlice([]byte{1, 2, 3}))
 	assert.Equal(t, NewImmutableByteSlice([]byte{1, 2, 3}), av.BytesVal())
+
+	av = NewValueEmpty()
+	av.SetEmptyMap().UpsertString("k", "v")
+	assert.Equal(t, NewMapFromRaw(map[string]interface{}{"k": "v"}), av.MapVal())
+
+	av = NewValueEmpty()
+	av.SetEmptySlice().AppendEmpty().SetIntVal(1)
+	assert.Equal(t, NewSliceFromRaw([]interface{}{1}), av.SliceVal())
 }
 
 func TestValueEqual(t *testing.T) {
@@ -345,6 +353,42 @@ func TestMap(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.EqualValues(t, NewMap(), NewMap().Sort())
 }
 
+func TestChildMap(t *testing.T) {
+	parentMap := NewMap()
+	childMap := parentMap.UpsertEmptyMap("k1")
+	childMap.UpsertEmptySlice("k2").AppendEmpty().SetStringVal("val")
+	assert.EqualValues(t, NewMapFromRaw(map[string]interface{}{
+		"k1": map[string]interface{}{
+			"k2": []interface{}{"val"},
+		},
+	}), parentMap)
+
+	sl, ok := childMap.Get("k2")
+	assert.True(t, ok)
+	sl.SliceVal().AppendEmpty().SetIntVal(1)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, NewMapFromRaw(map[string]interface{}{
+		"k1": map[string]interface{}{
+			"k2": []interface{}{"val", 1},
+		},
+	}), parentMap)
+
+	mv, ok := parentMap.Get("k1")
+	assert.True(t, ok)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, childMap, mv.MapVal())
+	mv.MapVal().UpsertBool("k3", true)
+	bv, ok := childMap.Get("k3")
+	assert.True(t, ok)
+	assert.True(t, bv.BoolVal())
+
+	ok = childMap.Remove("k2")
+	assert.True(t, ok)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, NewMapFromRaw(map[string]interface{}{
+		"k1": map[string]interface{}{
+			"k3": true,
+		},
+	}), parentMap)
+}
+
 func TestMapWithEmpty(t *testing.T) {
 	origWithNil := []otlpcommon.KeyValue{
 		{},
diff --git a/pdata/ptrace/json_test.go b/pdata/ptrace/json_test.go
index f4a44b4aa0e..4c95d11715d 100644
--- a/pdata/ptrace/json_test.go
+++ b/pdata/ptrace/json_test.go
@@ -95,14 +95,12 @@ var tracesOTLPFull = func() Traces {
 	sp.Attributes().UpsertInt("int", 1)
 	sp.Attributes().UpsertDouble("double", 1.1)
 	sp.Attributes().UpsertBytes("bytes", pcommon.NewImmutableByteSlice([]byte("foo")))
-	arr := pcommon.NewValueSlice()
-	arr.SliceVal().AppendEmpty().SetIntVal(1)
-	arr.SliceVal().AppendEmpty().SetStringVal("str")
-	sp.Attributes().Upsert("array", arr)
-	kvList := pcommon.NewValueMap()
-	kvList.MapVal().Upsert("int", pcommon.NewValueInt(1))
-	kvList.MapVal().Upsert("string", pcommon.NewValueString("string"))
-	sp.Attributes().Upsert("kvList", kvList)
+	arr := sp.Attributes().UpsertEmptySlice("array")
+	arr.AppendEmpty().SetIntVal(1)
+	arr.AppendEmpty().SetStringVal("str")
+	kvList := sp.Attributes().UpsertEmptyMap("kvList")
+	kvList.UpsertInt("int", 1)
+	kvList.UpsertString("string", "string")
 	// Add events.
 	event := sp.Events().AppendEmpty()
 	event.SetName("eventName")