Inserting Brains Into AI Shells

[AwkwardDryad]

So you know the little robots the AI can take control of? For those of you who don't know, those robots can be constructed for the AI to take control of exclusively. They're super cost-effective, functional, and super. freaking. robust.

Sooooooooo. I had this idea:

Simple AI Shell Changes:

This has been stated in a previous thread, so I'll keep it short.

It would be nice if the AI shell interface was updated to be on-par with the current cyborg interface.
Currently AI shells cant:

A. make use of the door open/bolt hotkeys that borgs can
B. manage their tools without going insane due to the needing to click the actual tool sprite instead of the slot
C. make use of the tool selection hotkeys (1,2,3,4) that borgs can

The Actual Idea:

Say you're an antag running a conversion gimmick that's running low on materials for shells to fit your sea of victims your synthetic servants have brought to your door. Or perhaps you are just an honest roboticist doing the roboticist thing and Urist McClown'sRevenge shows up and you really want an inventive way to enact your thirst for revenge and insatiable bloodlust.

Presenting....Shove their brains into AI shells.exe

Instead of inserting an AI interface, you would be able to insert a brain and Huzzah! Mr. or Mrs. SplodeyBoom has become Mr. or Mrs. FloatyBeepBoop and they can fly around the station as a floaty Aperture Science Personality Core or an Aperture Science Personality Core: Prepare to Die Edition.

Also. Since brains would be insertable, AI shells should have an interface lock similar to borgs which will allow the brains to be removed and eaten inserted into a new body/shell when available.

EDIT (Please Read :D)

Alright, I've read through a lot of really good points on this thread, so I have some ideas.

A. The AI should begin with a light borg AND a shell. (borg described below)
B. The AI cores should have a pull and something like the ghost drone magtractor. It fits thematically as the drones and shells have a similar design and, most importantly, gives players incentive to use the shells over a conventional borg. Borgs have a wide toolset, but shells would have more freedom of interaction.
C. The cool part:

Docking Shells Onto Borgs

I propose that borgs should be able to be completed without a chest installed. If a borg is completed this way, any players controlling a shell would be able to click the borg to insert the shell into the chest receptacle and control that borg at the expense of a higher power consumption. (To bounce off prior point A, the starting borg, i feel, should be a chestless docking borg.

Conclusion:

I really like the concept of the "Ultra-Light" borg. Having something light, fast, and versatile (especially with some variant of magtractor) would definitely increase use of the shell bots. Even more so if player brains could be installed as well.

Shells being able to make use of borg upgrades and modules (as suggested in the replies) is a fantastic idea as well, though i feel this should be achieved by allowing the shell to dock with a borg and utilize its upgrades. Why? Simply because it would feel unique as opposed to just giving shells the same functionality as a borg. Shells are freaking fast. With an updated interface, they would be even more powerful, so I think its important to keep a limited toolset to avoid over-buffing them, but with added functionality (the mag tractor and pull) to give them something that would reasonably incentivize players to ask to be borged to a shell instead of a standard borg beyond resource requirements. And being able to borg dock would allow shell players to still have access to the tools a borg would without causing shells to overshadow borgs.