Why are diffs still so text-based? That should be a last resort. Typically when you edit a text file, your action has meaning beyond the primitive edit. You probably changed a variable name, moved a function above another. Replaced a whole chunk of stuff with other stuff, etc.

The problem with diffs is that they are not easily portable - because their intent is so (accidentally) low-level. Imbue diffX with semantics, and they can become more readable - by humans and AI alike.