I agree that ancient societies believed that a spirit could inhabit or utilize a non-flesh object or device. The Egyptians/pyramids had vast storehouses of statues and paraphernalia for the afterlife.

I'm not so sure that they were too far off in their thinking because I worked in factories for decades and I assure you that some of them machines held the same negative or positive influences of the former employees that ran them. Even if the employee was still alive, but just retired or something. (Cars are somewhat like this too.)

I've never watched 'Ghost in the Shell', but I have watched a few other movies of this type... and I think that 'yes' a machine or inanimate object can house a negative or positive energy or spirit.

Good subject Jim!